Demonic Emotions
by TheYoungestCrazySister
Summary: Sequel to 'Demonic Genesis'. Amai, Hoshi, and Yukiko are working under Mephisto to bring down clinics that target half-demons. They soon find an ally in Kuri Conwell. But the group will learn that identity is as fluid as fog. Amaimon X OC
1. Prologue

**The first chapter of the sequel, woohoo! I hope you enjoy! And yes, that little rhyme is officially what Amaimon says or writes before he eliminates someone. I just thought it'd be cool. For those of you who don't know what malachite is, it's a green gemstone. Hope you like!**

* * *

Prologue: Demonic Genesis Clinic, France

"Well, that wraps it up." Emil wiped his hands with a rag, ignoring the screams of pain coming from the crematorium. Adeline nodded, putting the syringes in their correct boxes, "Yeah. I gotta say, I'm glad to be rid of these three. They were nothing but a thorn in my side since Day One."  
"Couldn't agree with you more." Emil said, "These half-demons aren't only dangerous: they're annoying, too."

Adeline chuckled in agreement and tucked some light brown hair behind her ear, "Anyways, I'll clean up the rest here. You go home."  
Emil frowned, "Are you sure? I could always help you."  
Adeline smiled, "No, it's okay. You got your 10-year anniversary tonight, right?"

Emil hesitated, then nodded, "Yep."

"Well, go on then." Adeline smiled, "Really. I'm in this clinic, not in the woods."

Emil scratched his head, "...Okay, Adeline. If you say so."

With exchanged goodbyes, Emil left the woman. She burned the belongings of the kids they'd killed, double-washed the supplies before putting it away, and waited until the screams and cries ended. Then, she turned the fires off and vaccumed the ashes.

"You got what you deserved," Adeline said to the ashes, "You little monsters."

A soft hissing noise made the woman stop. Just for a second, she thought she wasn't alone. Then, she shrugged it off. Of course she was alone. She and Emil were the only people who stayed this late on the job, and Emil had left a little more than an hour ago. No one was in this building but her. It would be ludicrous to think otherwise.

Another hiss, louder this time. Adeline sighed in exasperation and turned around, "If this is a joke, I'm not in the mood!"

Low cackling this time. Whoever this was, he/she thought that Adeline had one hell of a sense of humor. Now, the woman was paying attention. She put the knife she'd been cleaning on the table and looked around. She was ready for anything, really.

The lamp in the corner blazed with life. Adeline whirled around. She'd been ready for anything_ but that_. Above the lamp, the plain white wall was coated in sloppy crimson handwriting. A twelve-year-old would've done better. The writing just said the same thing over and over: _'Poison, drowning, burning, knife. So many ways to take your life'._

Adeline's dark eyes widened. She took a couple of steps back, in spite of herself. That writing had_** not**_ been there last time she looked. None of this made any sense. Now, Adeline was getting the feeling that this wasn't some practical joke.

Something grabbed her ankle. Adeline shrieked and lost her balance. She fell on her side, her eyes wild.

Crouched under the table was a teenage boy. But he wasn't your typical teenager; one look told Adeline that. He had the palest skin she'd ever seen, like frozen milk. He had intense green-blue eyes too big for his face and wild dark green hair. He was wearing black, which made him look even paler: a black toga, black stockings, black arm warmers, and black pointy shoes. His intense gaze never leaving hers, the boy cracked his neck, breaking the silence. The only thing that made him look human was the charm hanging around his neck. It was a heart-shaped locket made of malachite.

The boy slowly crawled out from his hiding place, his never-blinking eyes focused on Adeline. The woman just barely whispered, "Who the hell're you?"  
In response, the boy smiled. It wasn't charming or sweet in any way shape or form. It was viscious, just a little better than bared teeth. Then, he pulled out a dagger from under his toga. It was as sharp as broken glass, and in the light, it almost glowed green.

"How does it feel," He whispered, "To go from predator to prey, Adeline Caron?"

* * *

"Adeline?" Emil opened the front door with his keys, "Hello?" No response.

Now, that was weird. Emil was one of the first people to come to work every day, and Adeline was literally _the_ first to show up every day. This was mostly because the Demonic Genesis management worked like this: the more hours you work, the more cash you bring home. And one hour already earned them 700 Euros. Who could say no to that?

Emil tightened his grip on the bag of sweets he'd bought to share with her. Something about the clinic didn't feel right today. It seemed...wrong. Like stepping in a cemetary on a gloomy night. Emil's insticts told him that something had happened here, and the man didn't stop walking until he reached the crematorium.

Only, he didn't. In the doorway, something had been hung over the entrance. Its limbs were stretched out, forming an 'X'. Emil couldn't guess what it was: the thing was covered by a dark green sheet. Hesitantly, he pulled the sheet off.

The bag of pastries fell to the floor as Emil shrieked. A scarecrow hung there, its wooden limbs just barely covered by its clothes.

Adeline's disembodied head was resting on the shoulders, a huge lollipop in her mouth.


	2. Chapter 1: As The French Would Say

**Please review!**

* * *

Chapter 1: As The French Would Say

"Hey, Broccoli Head!" Hoshi Tanaka yelled in her walkie-talkie, "Make that tunnel already!"  
"If you just give me a minute to concentrate-"  
"They're getting away! They're running!"  
"I get it! I-"  
"**_Amaimon_**!"

Vines broke free from the floor, right in front of the children. They shrieked and took several steps back as the vines as thick as tree trunks spiraled together. In seconds, they had formed a tunnel leading out of the clinic. The children hesitated and murmured amongst themselves, not sure what to do.

"Hey!"

They turned to see a teenage girl with short, curly cinnamon-blonde hair, light brown skin, and large chocolate-brown eyes. She ran towards them, moving with an awkward limp. She stopped and crouched at their level, "It's okay, kids. We're here to help you."  
The five children didn't look too sure. After all, they'd been tricked too many times to fall for an act like this one. Then, one kid (a little boy with curly hair the color of honey and milk chocolate eyes) stepped forward and held his arms out. Yukiko Bundō blinked, then smiled and picked up the boy. She rose and held her hand out for another kid. A little girl with long black hair grabbed it, her green-brown eyes fearful.

Yukiko smiled softly and led the kids through the tunnel. Hoshi, who was watching from a safe distance, sighed in relief. She spoke in the walkie-talkie, "The blonde is leaving the building. I repeat: the blonde is leaving the building!"  
"Good." Amaimon said through clenched teeth, "'Cuz I can't hold on much longer."

Right on cue someone shoved into him. He grunted and fell on his side. With his grip lost, the tunnel started to crumble. The Earth King gasped and watched with wide eyes as Yukiko picked up the pace.  
"**_YUKIKO!_**" He screamed, starting to get up. A foot kicked him in the ribs, making him roll over. He looked up to see Emil standing over him, his face set in a scowl.

"You killed our boss, half our workers, and my friend." He snarled, "I'm not letting you leave this building alive."

"Oh, really?" Amaimon stomped his fist against the ground. The ground under the guy's feet gave away, like it was made of cardboard. He screamed as he plunged down the narrow hole.

His screams ended with a _splat!_ Amaimon scrambled to his feet and looked back at the tunnel. His heart sank all the way to his stomach.

The tunnel was destroyed. It was a little better than a pile of green vines so filled with bullets they were beyond recognition.

His face crumpled with sorrow; he hid it in his claws. "Oh, no...no!" Tears started their way down his cheeks as his shoulders shook. Once, crying had been impossible for him. Now, it came as naturally as breathing. How? How could he let this happen? He should've been more careful. Because of his carelessness, Yukiko, the only girl he'd ever truly cared for, was gone.

"Wait! Wait, hold it!" Hoshi's voice cracked through the walkie-talkie, "She's still alive! Yuki's still alive!"

Amaimon felt like he'd been pulled out of a pool right before drowning, "W-what?"

"Are you deaf?" Hoshi snapped, "She's okay! She made it out right on time!"

Amaimon sighed in relief and put a claw on his chest, "Thank Gehenna."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch!" Hoshi retorted, "You still gotta eliminate the building. I'm out now, but there are lotsa workers fighting to escape. I'm doing the best I can, but..."  
Amaimon grinned, "Say no more." With that, he summoned all the power he could and shrieked to the sky, letting it out.

The ground surrounding the clinic burst free. He ignored the pleas and terrified screams and threw his hands down. The building collapsed into the fissure with a deafening roar. If he'd been human, Amaimon would've been deafened for sure. But all he felt was a tiny vibe of pain in his pointed ears.

Once he heard the distant crash, Amaimon slowly clasped his hands. The ground rumbled and locked together, sealing itself shut. A second later, the only evidence of the past few minutes was a twenty-mile scar in the earth.

"Amaimon!"

The Earth King whirled around. Yukiko raced towards him, the small boy still in her arms. Amaimon thought he would cry with joy; it took all of his willpower not to lose it right there and then. He decided to submit to his new, raw emotions just enough to avoid looking like a fool.

"Yuki..." He pulled her in his arms, pressing her face in his shoulder. Yukiko froze; she hadn't been expecting such an..._affectionate_ embrace. Amaimon loved hugging her (he rarely repeated the action with anyone else), but they were normally just friendly hugs. This...this was a different category altogether.

"Thank Gehenna..." He whispered, making her shiver, "...I...I thought..."

Yukiko forced her heart to slow down. Ever since she'd escaped being raped seven years prior, the cinnamon-blonde had always been a bit uncomfortable with touching males. In fact, before she'd met the green-haired demon, she'd done her best to avoid men completely.

But Amaimon meant no harm. It was clear he'd been scared to death. Yukiko tightened her grip on the boy and wrapped an arm around his lean waist, returning the hug. It was a full minute before he finally pulled away. His blue-green gaze never leaving her chocolate-brown one, Amaimon tucked some hair behind her ear. Yukiko smiled softly at him and reported, "We got out right on time. But," Her voice dropped, "We lost one. The little girl with black hair?"

"Oh." Amaimon patted her shoulder as guilt wormed its way in his system, "I'm sorry."

Yukiko smiled sadly, "Don't be."

"YUKIKO!" The couple turned to see Hoshi racing towards them. Her face and clothes were grimy, and her short hair was plastered to her face. Without a second's hesitation, the Japanese girl trapped Yukiko in a bone-crushing hug. "This is the _last _time I'm letting you go in a clinic alone!" She said firmly, checking her sister for any injuries.

Yukiko sighed tiredly, "Fine by me."

A pale-haired girl tugged on Hoshi's shirt, "I'm hungry."

Amaimon hesitated. He always had a pound of candy on him, but he was fickle at sharing it. But this little kid was so skinny he could see the joints of her bones. Sighing, he pulled out an orange sucker, "Here."  
The girl stared at the lollipop like it was the biggest ruby on Earth, "Really?"

To show he was serious, the Earth King stuck it in her mouth much like he'd done with Adeline, his most recent victim. Only he was more careful about shoving it in too deep.

The three thought the kid would start crying with joy. Instead, she started sucking on it, making delighted noises.

Hoshi grinned and pulled out her walkie-talkie, "Fire Girl to Clown Boy."

Mephisto's voice came through, "Why did you think up such a ridiculous nickname for me?"

Yukiko bit her lip to keep from laughing as Hoshi sighed, "Fine. Fire Girl to Clown Faggot."

Now, the cinnamon-blonde laughed. She hid her mouth with her hand to hide her smiling mouth. Amaimon thought she looked adorable.

"We got the kids. There's..." Hoshi stopped and looked at them, making a quick count in her head, "Four of 'em. We're coming in."

"Excellent." Mephisto purred, "I will send a private jet to collect you."

"_Miraculeux_," Hoshi grinned, "As the French would say."

Amaimon frowned as the black-haired girl hung up, "I didn't know you spoke French."

"I don't," Hoshi said, "I watched a James Bond movie a year back and it was in French. Sue me."


	3. Chapter 2: The Interesting Trip Part 1

**Please review! This is lighter than the previous chapters. Let's face it: if there's blood in every chapter, it gets tiresome. Hope u enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN KURI CONWELL. If I did, that'd be fucking A.**

* * *

Chapter 2: The (Interesting) Trip Part 1

"Excellent work." Mephisto grinned devilishly at the trio, "The second has been destroyed. Now, we have 10 left. All in good time, of course."  
"Sure." Hoshi rolled her dark brown eyes. Then, she noticed Yukiko rubbing her forearm, her gaze downcast. "Hey," The muscular girl lightly touched her sister's arm, "You okay?"

Yukiko shrugged awkwardly, not looking up, "That little girl...was my responsibility...and I lost her."

Amaimon, who was chewing his thumb nail, looked at the cinnamon-blonde worriedly.

Mephisto frowned as he sipped some tea, "What happened? You brought back four healthy half-bloods. What went wrong?"

Yukiko was quiet for a minute. Then, she spoke, "Amaimon created a tunnel made of vines for me and the kids to get through. But when we were less than halfway there, the whole place started to crumble. And it didn't help that the guards started shooting at us." She wiped her chocolate-brown eyes with her baggy sleeve, "We started running, but all of a sudden, the girl fell. I turned to help her up, but she was bleeding." Yukiko wiped her eyes with both sleeves this time, "A guard had shot her in the head."

"Oh, sis..." Hoshi pulled Yukiko in a hug as the cinnamon-blonde started crying. Amaimon did nothing, but his heart wretched in his chest at seeing her like this. Mephisto's forest-green eyes softened slightly, but he shook it off and cleared his throat, "I'm sorry, Yukiko. I didn't realize what you'd been through."

"'Course not." Yukiko whispered, but Amaimon picked it up, "You never put that in consideration. You expect everything to go perfectly, with no casualties. Pathetic."  
The green-haired boy bit harder in the black nail, his eyes widening. Mephisto either didn't hear the girl's words or chose to ignore them, "Anyway, your next mission takes place tomorrow evening. I recieved a call from Salual Conwell half an hour ago. He hasn't found the main headquarters yet, but he has found a particularly large one: in London."

"London?" Amaimon's green-blue eyes sparkled, "I went there once. They have the nicest pastries!"

Yukiko sniffed and managed a weak giggle. The Earth King felt his spirits touch the sky at seeing her smile.

Mephisto smiled a little in amusement, "Well, good. Because tomorrow at precisely 7:00 p.m., the three of you and another girl will be boarding."  
"Hear that, Spinach Boy?" Hoshi cracked a smile at Amaimon, "You'll get to be alone with a bunch of beautiful women."

"More like two beautiful women and one ugly little rag doll." Again, Yukiko spoke too quietly for anyone to hear. Amaimon heard it; it made him desperate and angry at the same time.

"Come on, girl." Hoshi led her sister out of Mephisto's office, "We should pack." Yukiko nodded and looked over her shoulder, locking eyes with Amaimon. She felt that familar flame in her chest as she gave the green-haired boy a wave. Amaimon responded, smiling a little.

Once the two girls were gone, Amaimon turned to Mephisto, who was examining his teeth with a tiny pink beauty mirror. The Earth King suppressed an eye-roll and asked in his most respectful tone, "Aniue...um, can I ask you something?"

"You just did," The purple-haired demon ran his thick tongue over his fangs, "But go on."

Amaimon nodded once before continuing, "Um...what do you...do, or say..."

Mephisto looked at his brother with an arched brow.

"...To a female you wish to be romantically entangled with?" The Earth King finished sheepishly. Mephisto blinked, then started laughing hysterically. You'd think Amaimon had just said that Justin Beiber was actually a boy. Amaimon tried to keep it together and waited for his older brother to finish his fit.

Mephisto finally calmed down, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, "What, are you planning to marry one of your 100 Satanic prostitutes?"  
Amaimon frowned. To be honest, he hadn't seen any of them in weeks. He just hadn't. For one thing, he'd been concerned about his kingdom in Assiah wasting away. Then, he'd met Hoshi and Yukiko, and they'd become the only females that meant anything to him.

Mephisto must've seen something in his brother's expression, because something in his _own_ expression morphed. He grinned, "Is it a certain young girl with skin the color of chocolate milk and curly hair?"  
Amaimon felt his face burn like a bonfire, "...Maybe."

Mephisto started laughing again, making Amaimon massage his temples. After a full minute, the purple-haired demon bit his tongue and said, "I suppose she's pretty enough. Okay," He nodded, "I'll help you win her heart."

Amaimon's green-blue eyes shone like stars. He waited, his tail wagging.

"Get that girl a cannon." Mephisto grinned, "Bitches love cannons."

The Earth King frowned, "...Pardon me?"

"Cannon. C-A-N-N-O-N. You know, instrument used to blow up ships?" Mephisto spoke slowly, like he was speaking to a very retarded child, "That's how I won over my first wife back in the 18th century."

Amaimon face-palmed.

"Sorry I asked." He muttered.

* * *

"So, this girl we're supposed to go with? What's her name?" Yukiko asked as she, Amaimon, and Hoshi walked towards their gate. Hoshi took another bite of her cheese-and-ham sandwich and plucked a paper from her jeans pocket. "Kuri Conwell," She read, spewing crumbs everywhere.

"Kuri," Yukiko thought out loud, "Nice name. It means 'chestnut'."

Amaimon tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I wonder if she's made of chestnuts."  
Yukiko slapped him upside the head playfully, arching her brows. The Earth King pouted, "What? Gingerbread men exist, so shouldn't chestnut people, too?"

"God I hope not," Hoshi muttered as she tucked the paper back in her pocket, "It'll be a bitch getting through security."

"Speaking of security," Yukiko jerked her chin forward, "There's Station Number 1."

Hoshi and Amaimon looked ahead and suppressed a groan. Indeed, security was dead ahead. Amaimon glanced at his briefcase before gulping and taking Yukiko's hand. "Come on," He said, "Let's get this over with." Yukiko blushed a little at the contact but nodded.

With a nod of greeting to the guard, Hoshi dumped her bag first. Then, she took off her shoes, choker, hairband, and fingerless red gloves. She went through without any problems. Yukiko followed, but all she took off was her sneakers. The security guard shot her a puzzled look, but he still let her pass. When he tried to frisk her, Yukiko recoiled like she'd been bitten. Amaimon growled softly in his throat and dumped his briefcase in the X-Ray machine.

"Alright, young man," A female police officer said, "You can go through."

The Earth King nodded and strolled through the machine. Instantly, it began to beep. Amaimon leaped out of his skin, looking around wildly. "It's okay, Amai," Yukiko said soothingly, "It's just the alarm."  
"...Oh." Amaimon blushed with embarressment as the police girl yelled, "Look at this one! It's full like an egg."

Hoshi groaned as the security guard who had frisked Yukiko grabbed Amaimon's dark green briefcase. He clicked it open and blinked at the contents.

"Sir?" He asked, turning the case for Amaimon to see, "What is this?"

Yukiko had to slap her hand over her mouth to keep from having a laughing fit. The case was filled to the brim with candy. No clothes, no toothbrush, no comb, no hair gel; just Butterfingers, Snickers, Kit-Kats, Reeces, and a lot of lollipops. Some were so small, they must've been for toddlers; but others were so large, even an anaconda would have trouble swallowing them.

Amaimon scratched his head as the police man said, "Any reason you're carrying..." He checked the balance scale, "...Twenty-two pounds of candy to London?"  
"I'll get hungry along the way." The green-haired boy said bluntly, "Besides, airline food is for suckers."

Yukiko face-palmed, "Well, that's the cherry on the cake."

For twenty whole minutes, the guard and Amaimon argued. The man thought that this odd, pale litte teenager was up to something. Why else would he bother to carry around all these sweets? For a minute, the man thought the candy was poisoned, but when the Earth King lost his paitence and stuffed three Snickers in his mouth, the guard relaxed. Finally, the trio was allowed to go.

"Thanks a lot, dumbass," Hoshi thumped Amaimon's temple, making him flinch, "Now we're gonna be late."

"Oh," Yukiko grinned, "We won't. Don't worry."

Hoshi stopped for a minute and looked at her sister, "What did you do?"

A minute later, a female voice boomed through the white halls, _"Attention, everyone. The flight from Tokyo to London has been delayed due to a disappearance of luggage. But keep calm: we'll find your things. In the meantime, the flight will be changed from 7:00 to 8:00."_

Amaimon turned to Yukiko with a dropped jaw, "What did...how did-?"

Yukiko giggled and held up her cellphone, "Bribe. I told the guy in charge of luggage that if he delayed it, Johannes Faust IV would give him twenty thousand yen."  
Hoshi's jaw practically touched the floor, "Why?"

"Because this mission is important," Yukiko said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "If we lose the flight, we're screwed. I couldn't afford that."  
Amaimon grinned wolfishly, "You are amazing."

Yukiko blinked in surprise and looked down, her face reddening.

* * *

"Here we go," Hoshi announced at Yukiko crashed in a chair, "At the gate, at exactly 7:42 p.m. And we're not fucked, thanks to my gorgeous sister here."

Yukiko blushed, "No worries."

Amaimon hid a soft smile and looked around, "Where is this Kuri?"

Yukiko looked around, her brain working at top speed, "Mephisto said she was African American...there!" She pointed. Hoshi and Amaimon followed her finger.

Standing next to the window for better light was a young woman with chocolate-brown skin and light brown hair set in individual twists. She was wearing a plain white belly shirt and jeans, and her big brown eyes were glued to the book in her hands.

Yukiko walked towards the young woman, "Um, excuse me?"  
The woman looked up, her gaze paitent and curious. The curly-haired girl instantly relaxed, "Are you Kuri Conwell, Salual Conwell's younger sister?"  
"Yes." Kuri smiled, revealing brilliant white teeth. She stood up and shook Yukiko's hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine." Yukiko said, "My name is Yukiko Bundō," She pointed at her friends, "That's Amaimon Pheles, Sir Pheles' younger brother, and that's my foster sister Hoshi Tanaka."

Kuri smiled as she and Yukiko walked towards them. "Hi," She said a bit timidly but politely, "I'm Kuri."

"No shit." Hoshi muttered. Yukiko elbowed her. Hard.

_"Attention everyone in Gate 12."_ The same woman from before called through the speakers, _"Please begin boarding the flight going from Tokyo, Japan, to London, England."_

"Well," Kuri smiled, "Here we go."


	4. Chapter 2: The Interesting Trip Part 2

**Please review! **

**I do not own Amaimon or Kuri. Too bad :(  
BTW, I considered something someone said about demons being able to enter Assiah by possessing something within it. So, here you go! Hope you like!**

* * *

Chapter 2: The (Interesting) Trip Part 2

For the next several hours, the four friends did whatever they could to make time fly.

Yukiko and Kuri chatted, then Hoshi joined in. Within the hour, the sisters learned about the brown-skinned woman's origins. She was from a small town and had a simple, happy life. At the age of 19, she'd already accomplished the title of True Cross Academy anti-demon pharmacologist. She was an expert in blessed oil, medicines, and potions.

Yukiko was more than happy to learn that she and Kuri shared something in common: they both loved reading, manga and books alike. Hoshi tried to stay in the conversation, but after a while, it became obvious that her sister and teammate were getting into hardcore book discussions. The Japanese girl sighed and plucked a manga from Yukiko's backpack. She opened a random page and started to read. Amaimon saw her black locks curling and uncurling, so he wasn't exactly at ease.

Eventually, Kuri's eyelids grew heavy. Yukiko smiled softly and handed her new friend an airplane blanket, "You should sleep." The woman nodded tiredly and took the blanket. She murmured in thanks and cuddled up in her seat. Yukiko pulled the blanket over her.

Amaimon smiled a little bit and stuck his 32nd Oreo in his mouth, "You two seem to be getting along well."

"Yep." Yukiko nodded, "Normally, I try to avoid female adults, but Shura and Kuri are fine."

The Earth King frowned, "Why?"  
Yukiko hesitated, then sighed. She turned so she was facing him. Amaimon blinked, waiting for her to continue. The girl began, "Remember when I told you how I became a street girl?"  
"Your father was stabbed by a mugger who later tried to rape you," The green-haired boy said tonelessly, "And your mother left you there to die."  
Yukiko felt old wounds re-open. It hurt so much, she had to put a hand on her chest in order to continue, "Yes. Because of that, I became distrustful of adults in general. Every time I looked at a woman, I just remembered my mother, the only person I really trusted and loved, who abandoned me. It was like..." She hesitated, trying to think of something, "It was like the spinal cord of my soul was snapped in two."

Amaimon smiled just a tiny bit, "You are very poetic."

Yukiko's face turned the color of a strawberry. She smiled in thanks and continued, "So, I know every other woman on the planet isn't my mother. But every time I meet one, this...this wall shoots up," She gestured with her hands, making an imaginary barrier around herself, "I just can't help it. I know it sounds lame."

"No." Amaimon shook his head, "I know exactly what you mean. Human parents can be sneaky and treachorous. Trust me," He glanced at his own body, "I know."

Yukiko frowned and crossed her legs, "What do you mean?"

Amaimon scratched his head before looking into her eyes, "You know that demons can't come to Assiah without a vessel, right?"  
"Right." Yukiko nodded, tucking some curly hair behind her ear.

"Well," Amaimon began, "About several decades ago...one minute..." He counted the decades off on his fingers, "...Yes, about 62 years ago, I gained this body. This vessel."

Yukiko's large eyes sparkled with intelligence. That's all it took for the Earth King to tell her a tale he'd never told anyone, not even Aniue...

* * *

_New York, NY  
1950_

_The Mercedes wove through the traffic like an eel, its well-polished wheels and windowshields catching the morning light like diamonds. The driver checked the map every couple of minutes to make sure he was going the right way._

_In the back sat a 17-year-old albino boy dressed in an oversized pinstripe suit. It was his father's suit. The boy's parents never let him leave the house: not for school, not for shopping, not for ice cream. They said it was because his skin burned so easily, like a vampire's. But Matt Stevens knew better. He could see it in his 'beloved' parents' eyes. They were embarressed of him. Who wouldn't be? He saw someone's future by just looking into their eyes. He'd already told his mother that she would die three days from today in a car accident. He'd told his father that he would lose his job before his fortieth birthday. Matt couldn't help it. He had to blurt it out. He had to do **something**. What else could he do? Just let it happen? Of course, **sometimes** he let things be, but most of the time, he couldn't help interfere._

_Yes, Matt knew that his parents kept him a secret from everyone else. He made them, the two hot-shot lawyers, look like zoo keepers. He was the freaky little psycho. In his childhood, whenever he'd seen someone, he'd grab their shirts like his life depended on it and warned them of whatever was to happen. And the scary thing was: every single one of his predictions came true. When he was seven, he'd made a miniature coffin for his pet hamster. The next day, the little black creature had been found lying so peacefully, it looked like it'd wake any second. When he was thirteen, he'd warned his mother not to wear white. Later, someone had suffered from a nosebleed, spilling blood all over her blouse._

_He was different. 'Troubled'. 'Disturbed'._

_But despite knowing this with a metal-heavy heart, Matt never would've guessed that they'd do something like this._

_The driver glanced at the white-haired teenager through the rearview mirror. Tightening his grip on the steering wheel, he turned to the road alongside the Hudson River._

_Away from the Stevens' residence._

_"Wrong way," Matt muttered, "Wrong way."_

_The driver acted like he hadn't spoken. A small wave of tense unease formed in the boy's chest, "R-Robert..."_

_The old man picked up the pace, sending Matt banging against the seat. The chains keeping his wrists down jingled. The unease grew like a tsunami wave. Matt's pale gray eyes darted to the window, "Wrong, wrong, wrong way."  
Suddenly, a small explosion erupted from under the car. Robert cursed under his breath and pulled over alongside the street. The albino had a clear view of the Hudson River here. It was just a few feet away._

_Robert climbed out of the car, locking the doors behind him. He wiped his brow and examined the car. A tire had been damaged, thanks to a stray broken beer bottle._

_In the vehicle, Matt tugged on his bonds, "Home...home..." His skin cut open, staining the dark gray fabric crimson. But the boy bit his lip and continued to yank the leather cuff up his hand. It came free, dots of blood staining his trousers._

_"I wanna go home."  
He looked through the window. Robert was still busy. Matt started on his other hand, tears springing in his eyes, "I...wanna go home._

_Robert frowned as the engine roared with life. He looked up to see Matt gripping the steering wheel with bleeding wheels. Even from outside, the old man could hear the albiono yelling, "I wanna go home!"_

_Desperately, Matt slammed his feet on the pedals. The car zoned forward...straight into the Hudson River._

_Robert stood there with wide eyes, panic and fear filling his gut. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens had doubled his normal payment to take their deranged son to a mental hospital miles outside of New York. They hadn't wanted their son dead. But before the old man's eyes, the Mercedes sank to the bottom of the river. Bubbles rose steadily from the sinking car. A couple of seconds later, one of the buttons from Matt's pinstripe suit floated to the surface. Finally, the connection between Robert's body and brain reformed. He scrambled towards the cars that had started gathering._

_Under the water, the albino blinked furiously. His lungs were on fire, and all the blood was rushing to his head. Matt's body desperately needed air, but he couldn't supply it. Matt knew he was going to die. He knew what he'd done had been stupid. But the panic...had been too much. His mind and his soul couldn't cooperate with his parents being so embarressed by him that they'd send him away. He couldn't leave his parents. He loved his family unconditionally, no matter how much they belittled him._

_Matt knew he couldn't die. But he couldn't change his fate. _

_In the corner of his eye, the albino caught sight of a bright green light. If he looked at it through the tail of his eye, he could just make out the figure of a man. But if he looked directly at it, Matt saw nothing._

_The light spoke, "You're dying."_

_Matt nodded. There wasn't much else he could do, considering he didn't have the air necessary to talk._

_The light continued, "I am the Earth King Amaimon. And I need a vessel; a body to claim for generations to come. But I do not want to take a body against the owner's free will. Tell me: do you wish for me to take your body as my own? You will die. I cannot change fate. But your body will remain frozen at this age forever. It will still function as any body does, but it will not age."_

_Matt tilted his head. For a minute, he forgot about his screaming lungs. He'd had frequent visions about demons. It was said that they had inspired the mythology of ghouls and vampires. His body never aging definately sounded vampiric._  
_But he couldn't die. He knew that; it was destiny._

_He nodded once as his vision started to darken. He heard a low chuckle as the light leered towards his pale flesh. His pores absorbed the light. _

_His fingernails instantly became long, sharp, and pitch-black in color. His ears became slightly pointed, and fangs potruded from his lips. His bright white hair changed to dark green. A dark green, furry tail sprouted from his trousers, and his eyes went from pale gray to green-blue._

_Amaimon's face cracked into a grin._

* * *

"Oh my God..." Yukiko's eyes were brimming, "I...I can't believe..."  
"Neither could I," Amaimon said, playing with his yellow tie, "But Matt's parents wanted him gone. They weren't cruel enough to kill him, but they wanted him out of the picture."

"That's horrible," Yukiko rubbed her arms, looking down, "And here I was, complaining about my family life when..."

Amaimon's hand clasped over her. The girl stopped and looked at their hands. Slowly, their fingers intertwined. "You have every right to complain." Amaimon said, "For crying out loud, your mother abandoned you. That's unforgivable."  
Yukiko felt the wall that always surrounded her dissolve. She wrapped her arms around the Earth King and hugged him close. Without thinking about it, Amaimon hugged her back, stroking her back gently. Before he could stop himself, he began to hum a Gehenna lullaby. This reminded him of when he'd told her his past, and she'd comforted him with her own lullaby.

Yukiko squeezed him lightly before leaning her head on his collarbone. "You did something very noble." She whispered. Amaimon frowned, "How so?"  
"You could've just waited for the boy to die and then use his body." The curly-haired girl said, "But instead, you told him about what would happen. You let him choose." She snuggled closer to him, "You really are a wonderful person, Amaimon." The Earth King blushed bright red and, before he could stop himself, planted a quick kiss on her temple, "So are you."

The two fell asleep, dreaming about Matt Stevens.


	5. Chapter 3: The British Are Coming!

**Please review! This is another light chapter, then things'll get more serious. I just tho  
**

**I do not own Amaimon or Kuri. Too bad :(**

* * *

Chapter 3: The British Are Coming!

"Here we are, sir." The concierge announced as he placed Amaimon's briefcase on the bed. The Earth King nodded, his green-blue eyes examining the room around him, "Thank you."  
The concierge bowed slightly before turning to leave.

"Wait."

The concierge turned, a small, puzzled frown on his face. Amaimon fiddled with his hands as he spoke, "Um, if it's not too much...may I ask you something?"  
"Of course, sir." The concierge smiled. Amaimon relaxed a little and spoke, "You know one of the girls I came here with? The one with the curly blonde hair?"  
"Yes, sir." The concierge nodded, his smile broadening, "She is very sweet. She gave me a 30 pound tip."

Amaimon smiled a little as he continued, "Well, she and I are very good friends, but I like her as..._more_ than a friend."  
"Ah." The concierge nodded.

"But the problem is, I don't know what to do to woo her. And she's very easily frightened, so I'm afraid any approach might scare her off. What can I do to win her?" Amaimon felt a little weird at saying all this to a servant, but right now, he was desperate. He'd already asked Mephisto, and the guy had suggested a cannon as a gift.

The concierge smiled in sympathy, "What I would suggest, sir, is going for the traditional mannerisms young men assume to win the hearts of women that have taken their fancy. Simple things, such as chocolate, flowers, and poems."

Amaimon arched a dark green brow, but he nodded, "Very well. Thank you."

The concierge bowed again and left the room, closing the door behind him. Once alone, Amaimon immediately got to work. He had time; he and the girls would go to the Demonic Genesis building first thing tomorrow. But they would spend the night in the hotel. This would give him just enough time to think of something.

He kicked off his pointy leather shoes and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Without thinking, he raised his finger and drew in the air. The concrete above his head mimicked him exactly. With a crack, a line formed in the ceiling, following the Earth King's black-nailed finger. Within seconds, a large Valentine heart had been drawn in the plaster.

Amaimon smirked and sat up. He reached in his briefcase and pulled out a huge, bright blue lollipop. As he licked it, he thought about what the concierge had said. He couldn't give Yukiko chocolate; the girl ate enough sweets as it was, so it would look like a thoughtful give. Nothing more. Flowers? Maybe, but they were leaving the hotel anyway. Where would she put them? She definately couldn't put them in her pocket.

A poem?

"Hmm..." The Earth chewed on his thumbnail, nodding to himself. "Maybe that's it. Only..." His shoulders slumped, "I have no idea howtta write one."  
Suddenly, he brightened. Weren't there website that explained how to write one?

Giddy with excitement, the Earth King leaped off his bed, smoothly landing in a chair. He turned on the computer and began to surf the web.

Twenty minutes later, Amaimon still had nothing. He sighed in exasperation and hid his face in his claws. How could he write a poem? There were, like, ten different kinds. Maybe he should stick to something...simple.

The Earth King's expression brightened. "Haiku!" He grabbed a piece of paper and began writing on the paper.

After another ten minutes, the green-haired boy had three to choose from. He grinned childishly at his handiwork as his tail wagged swiftly.  
The phone rang, snapping him out of his thoughts. Amaimon put down the pad and was in front of the phone in no time at all. He picked up the receiver, "Hello?"

"Hello, Amaimon?"  
"Yes...Kuri, is it?"  
"Yeah." Amaimon could hear the young woman nod, "Just thought I'd let you know that since we're putting the plan in motion tomorrow, Hoshi, Yukiko and I were going around to look at the town. Ya wanna come with?"

"Of course." Amaimon grinned, "As long as we make lots of stops at candy shops."  
There was a slight pause on the other end. "Oh-kay." Kuri said, "We'll meet you in the lobby in ten minutes."  
"Sure. Bye."  
With that, he hung up. Suddenly nervous, the green-haired boy looked at his reflection. He was wearing his trademark yellow striped tie with brown knee-long trousers and a tight, long-sleeved shirt the color of moss. When he'd picked it out that morning, it had looked badass. But now, for some reason, it felt...wrong.

Amaimon snapped his fingers, and a lime-green wardrobe appeared. Humming to himself, the Earth King began rummaging through his belongings.

* * *

"Where the hell is he?" Hoshi angrily muttered to her friends as her hair started to curl. "He should've shown up ten minutes ago."  
"Oh, come on, Hosh," Yukiko muttered without looking up from her _Hellsing_ manga, "I'm sure he'll be here soon."  
"But the guy rarely even showers!" Hoshi yelled in exasperation, "What could he be doing?"

Kuri, who was playing on a Nintendo DS, shrugged, "Maybe he got a stomach ache. Wouldn't surprise me: he ate four pounds of candy on the plane."  
Yukiko sighed and was about to go grab some more manga when Amaimon's green hair came into view. Yukiko's manga fell to the ground.

Amaimon looked _awesome_. He was wearing a black beanie with green fringe hanging in his eyes. He wore a green-and-black checked shirt with lime-green dress pants and black fingerless gloves.

Three words entered Yukiko's mind: _hot as hell._

When Amaimon saw her, his alabaster face split in a huge smile. The cinnamon-blonde felt her insides turn to soup as she waved timidly. Her rational mind told her that her demon friend had dressed up for some special reason. For her? No, impossible. People dressed up for others that they fancied. How could it possibly be her? She could never catch the eye of a guy like Amaimon. He'd probably done it for Kuri. Yes, that made more sense. Kuri was a tall, smooth-skinned woman with curves models would kill for. Only a fool wouldn't want her.

The cinnamon-blonde forced the dark thoughts out of her mind and walked towards Amaimon, "Hey." She hugged him warmly, to which he responded. He grinned in her hair and stroked her back. It sent shivers down her spine.

"You ready?" She asked once they pulled away.

Amaimon nodded happily, "Gladly."

Kuri, who'd been watching the two of them, tapped Hoshi on the shoulder, "So, are they...?"  
"No." Hoshi shook her head, "Yukiko's scared to death of men. In fact, before we met Broccoli Head, she left the room whenever a guy entered."

"Why?" Kuri frowned.

"Because she was nearly raped when she was seven," Hoshi explained, "She just barely got away, but she's got some nasty scars." She shrugged, "That's why."

"Oh," Kuri's big eyes softened, "I'm sorry."  
"It's fine," Hoshi shrugged, "I think Amaimon kind of likes her, but I can't be sure." Her hair started to curl, "All I know for sure is: I will **_kill him_ **if he hurts her."

Kuri nodded, "I don't think he will."

* * *

For the next few hours, the four explored London. Thanks to Amaimon, they had dinner at a dessert bar. The demon ate three ice cream sundaes, while the girls stuck with one. Of course, the green-haired boy wanted to explore every sweets shop in London (possibly in England), but Kuri put her foot down and dragged him into a tourist bus.

Yukiko was standing the whole time, taking pictures of everything that passed. She'd never felt happier; she felt like a kid in a candy store. Everything looked so fresh and new that she wondered if she was dreaming. Just to be sure, Yukiko pulled up her shirt just to reveal half an inch of her stomach. One look at her scar told her she was awake.

Amaimon saw a flower shop along the way, and spotted a perfect pink peony in a bouquet. He grinned and crooked his finger. The peony shivered, then flew into his palm. He bit his lip in excitement and turned to Yukiko, who was posing for a picture with Hoshi.

She had her arms around the black-haired girl with one of her eyes winking. Hoshi made a 'peace' sign and stuck out her tongue. For the first time, Amaimon noticed how similar Hoshi's tongue was to his or Aniue's. It was long, thick, and forked like a reptile's. It was possibly the only physical demonic trait the muscular girl had: other than that, she looked lie a normal human. Kuri grinned and flicked some hair from her eyes, "Okay...smile!"

_Flash!_

Hoshi chuckled and ran a hand through her short hair, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting tired. Wanna call it a day?"  
"Sure." Kuri nodded, "I'm pretty worn out, too. Why don't we walk back to the hotel? It's not that far."

"Yeah, and it'll help a certain demon I will not identify burn a lifetime's worth of sugar." Yukiko added, arching an eyebrow at Amaimon. The green-haired boy giggled, making sure to hide the peony behind his back.

"Alright," Hoshi clapped her hands, "Let's get cracking."

As Kuri and Hoshi walked, Yukiko noticed her sneaker was untied. Yes! A perfect opportunity! Amaimon was giddy with excitement. Keeping a straight face, he walked towards the cinnamon-blonde and tapped her shoulder. Yukiko looked up, and her light brown face turned crimson. She quickly got to her feet and brushed off her XL shirt, "'Sup?"  
Amaimon shifted his weight from one foot to another, "I got you something."  
Yukiko blinked, then smiled, "Oh, you didn't have to. Really, today's been awesome enough as it is."

"But I wanted to." Amaimon said, sincerely meaning it. Yukiko giggled shyly, tucking some hair behind her ear, "What is it?"

"Close your eyes."

Yukiko flinched, but she nodded and obeyed. Amaimon grinned and pulled out the peony. He gently took her chin, keeping her face still. Yukiko's smooth skin felt hot against his icy fingers, but she didn't push him away. Amaimon tucked the flower behind her ear, making sure it wouldn't fall out easily. He stepped back and released her chin, examining his work. He smiled softly, "Okay, you can open them."  
Yukiko did so, feeling her ear. When her fingers felt the silky petals, her face broke into a happy smile. "Amai," She looked at him with sparkling eyes, "Thank you. How'd you know peonies are my favorite flowers?"  
Amaimon shrugged, fighting to keep his face its normal color, "I just figured you liked them, because your shampoo smells like peonies."

"How'd you...oh, right." Yukiko nodded, "Demonic sharpened senses."

Amaimon nodded.

Yukiko smiled warmly at him, and Amaimon felt like dancing, "Thank you."

"Hey!" Kuri called, "Come on, lovebirds! You're holding up the show!"

Amaimon and Yukiko both glared at the brown-skinned woman. Then, they broke into a jog to catch up.

When Yukiko reached Kuri and Hoshi, though, Amaimon wasn't there. Hoshi smirked, "Are you two done?"  
Yukiko fumbled with the flower, "Zip it!"  
Kuri frowned, looking around, "Where is he? I saw him a second ago..." Her big brown eyes widened, "Oh, God no."  
"What?" Hoshi and Yukiko followed her gaze at the same time.

Amaimon was crouched before one of the Queen's guards, who was looking dead ahead. The green-haired man snapped his fingers in front of the man's eyes, but nothing happened. Frowning in confusion, the Earth King thought a moment. Then, his face brightened. He spat out the gum he'd been chewing and brought it dangerously close to the guard's uniform.

"Amai, no! Not the guard-!" Kuri was cut off by the guard slowly looking down at the sticky glob of gum on his badge.

* * *

"The British are coming! The British are coming!" Yukiko screamed as she dragged Amaimon across the streets. The guard was hot on their heels, his expression deadly. "Spinach Boy," Hoshi yelled over her shoulder, "This is the **_last_** time I'm coming to England with you!"


	6. Chapter 4: Azami and Xue

**Please review! ****I do not own Amaimon or Kuri.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Azami and Xue

Heather Crockett hurried through the corridors, careful not to drop the teenage girl. She couldn't believe it; she'd been sitting in her office sipping coffee, and all of a sudden, she spotted through the window a girl passing out. Heather had called out to the girl, telling her to leave, but the girl hadn't budged.

That's when panic hit Heather. What if this girl was _**one of** **them?** _She couldn't tell just by looking at the teen; there was always the chance that she looked like a normal human. Besides, the girl looked awful; she always could be a regular street kid, but most half-demons were found in the streets. What parent would want a freak with power? Heather certainly wouldn't; she'd probably have an abortion first.

"Crockett!" Heather's boss, Dr. Lambert, snapped, "What is the meaning of this?"

"I'm sorry, sir." Heather said nervously, "But this girl just passed out. I really believe we should make sure she isn't one of them."  
Dr. Lambert's gaze softened ever so slightly. Even though the purpose of Demonic Genesis was to find and rehabilitate half-demons (and eliminate a malfunctioned one or two), they still took in anyone who needed help. They weren't the monsters demons seemed to think they were.

He took a quick look at the girl in Heather's arms. She was dressed in clothes six sizes too large, so it was hard to tell how old she was. Dr. Lambert guessed she was around fifteen or sixteen. Her facial features looked Asian, but the curly, cinnamon-blonde hair contrasted strongly. This girl looked tired and weak. How could he toss her into the streets?

"Alright," He said finally, jerking his thumb to the infirmary, "Let Jeffrey have a look at her."

Heather nodded and carried the girl out of the room. When the nurse wasn't looking, Yukiko opened one eye and grinned.

* * *

"In the space of two hours, we have four new patients." Heather said as twilight bathed the office in pinkish-orange light, "They are all teenagers. Doesn't it seem odd, though?" The woman frowned, "Normally, our guards take kids in, but we haven't had a new patient in days. Now, we end up with four in the space of a day."

"Maybe they've been hiding out," Dr. Lambert said, "I really think you're just paranoid, Crockett. This should be seen as a blessing, not a problem."

"I know, but-"

"Enough." Dr. Lambert's tone indicated that this wasn't up for discussion, "Now, have you found their names?"

"Yes." Heather said, checking her clipboard, "Xue Zhang, Azami Mido, Ash Thorn, and Brittany Lanes."

"Hmm..." The doctor nodded, "Very well. First thing tomorrow, we'll put each of them in a Deathmatch. We'll see if they display any form of power."  
"That's a good idea." Heather nodded, "Especially since our DNA machine is broken."

"Exactly." Dr. Lambert, "We'll see how they hold up."

* * *

Hoshi opened one dark brown eye to make sure no one was around. The room was empty. She giggled to herself and sat up, rubbing her bandaged arms. To be taken in, she'd summoned her fire-whips to burn herself. Now, the wounds underneath the cotton bandages were healed. Another up-side of being a half-demon. She'd even adopted an alias for herself: Xue Zhang. It was Chinese rather than Japanese, but it would have to do.

Now, all she had to do was pretend not to know Yukiko, Kuri, or Amaimon. Not that it would be easy: Yukiko was practically the center of Hoshi's world. She was her best friend, her sister, and her constant companion. Not talking to her would be awful.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the door creaked open. Hoshi quickly lay back down, pretending to just wake up. Heather, the lady who'd taken in Yukiko after she'd pretended to pass out, walked in. Hoshi decided she was nice-looking: fair skin, sleek black hair cut just past her shoulders, and jade eyes.

"Hi." She smiled, "I'm Heather Crockett. I'm one of the night nurses here at Harris House."  
"Sup." Hoshi said bluntly.

Heather flicked some hair from her eyes and seated herself on the bed next to Hoshi, "Your library card, which was the only ID we could find of you, said that your name was Xue. Is that true?"  
"Yes." Hoshi nodded, "Any reason I'm locked up?"

"Oh, you're not." Heather patted Hoshi's bandages, "You're injured. That's why you're going to stay here until you're healed."  
Hoshi suppressed a laugh. This was so similar to what she'd been told back in Better Times Clinic. They had no intention of letting her go. They'd test her, see if she had any power, then try to rehabiliate her. And if they couldn't, they'd throw her in a gutter to rot.

Not that it would happen, but they'd certainly do it.

"Okay," Hoshi cracked her neck, "So, how's it gonna roll? Do I stay in my room at all times, or...?"

"No." Heather shook her head, "In fact, you get exercise daily. For example, tomorrow you get to have a match with one of the other girls. Just to see what you can do, of course."  
"Really?" Hoshi pretended to be suprised, "Is it like a gladiator match or something?"

"Something like that," Heather nodded, "If it gets too violent, we'll put an end to it."

_Yeah, right,_ Hoshi thought. She said, "Okay. Who am I gonna be facing?"

"One of the new girls, actually." Heather checked her clipboard as Hoshi paled, "Azami Mido."

Hoshi felt like she'd been slapped in the face. No. No. NO. NO! She couldn't face her! 'Azami' was Yukiko's alias! Already it was bad enough that she had to treat her sister like a total stranger, but now she had to duel her? Hoshi suddenly regretted insisting that she and Yukiko go together on missions.

"Xue?" Heather put a hand on Hoshi's knee. There was genuine concern in her eyes, "Are you alright? You look a little pale."  
"I-I'm fine." Hoshi struggled to keep her voice even, "Alright, then. Do you really think I'm ready to fight?"

"I think so." Heather smiled, "When our doctor, Jeffrey Collins, dressed your burns, they were already healing. You should be fine tomorrow."

"Great." Hoshi muttered, "Just perfect."


	7. Chapter 5: Fire Against Fire Part 1

**Please review!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Fire Against Fire Part 1

The office doors burst open. The locks sailed through the air, just barely missing Dr. Lambert's desk. The green-haired boy they'd found yesterday was fighting to break in, but it took six nurses to hold him back. And even they weren't doing such a great job. "Let me in!" Amaimon snarled, "Let me in, God damn it!"

"Release him." Dr. Lambert waved his hand. The nurses didn't like that order, but they let go of the Earth King. He stumbled and turned to them. He said something in a 'language' that consisted of gutteral noises and croaks. Dr. Lambert didn't know what it meant, but judging by the boy's expression and tone, it couldn't be very nice.

Amaimon turned back to the doctor and slammed his palms against his desk. The wood cracked under his hands. He said, "I heard that you are putting Azami and Xue against each other."  
"That is correct."  
The doctor could see fury in the boy's green-blue eyes as the boy continued, "Well, ya can't."

"Why is that?" Dr. Lambert sounded smug, "I'm in charge around here. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. Who're you to tell me what to do?"

"A very, very, **_very_** angry de-young man." Amaimon caught himself at the last second, "They may not know each other, but it is clear they don't want to fight. Put them against someone else. _Anybody_ else."

Dr. Lambert's eyebrows were reaching his hairline by now, "What does it matter to you, anyway?"

"**_EVERYTHING_**!" Amaimon screamed, making the windows in the office crack, "Now you WILL change the Deathmatch contestants, or _I_ will!"

Now, Dr. Lambert was afraid. In all his years of working in this clinic, he'd never had complaints about who he paired up on Deathmatches. And now, there was this green-haired little weirdo commanding him to change it. And not just that, but he looked ready to eat Dr. Lambert alive if he refused. This boy might've been a street kid, but he set the standard for not to be fucked with.

The doctor found himself saying, "Tell you what: what if I bend the rules and let other two kids join in. That way, Azami and Xue can work as a team."  
"That's fucking better." Amaimon snapped, a sick smile appearing on his face, "Who will you call upon?"

"Well," Dr. Lambert relaxed a little, "I was planning on bringing in that African-American, Brittany."

Kuri? Oh, well. She wasn't a Mary Sue; surely she could handle herself, given the right weapon.  
Right?

"And a boy who's actually the three-time Deathmatch champion." Dr. Lambert finished, "Theodore Williams."

Amaimon paled. Three-time champion? He must've been skilled, like himself. Maybe the girls stood a chance, but if this Williams kid was really so good, he must've learned to be merciless in the arena. It was the way the world worked, at least in Gehenna. If you want to reach the top, you can't afford to show lenience. But how could Amaimon push his luck any more? In here, this was the best the doctor could do. Further insistance would either prove futile or make him look suspicious. Unless that ship had already sailed.

"Very well." Amaimon let his hands slip off the desk, revealing two palm-sized dents. With that, he left the room.

* * *

"A three-time champion?" Kuri repeated, her eyes wide, "Great. Just great! I don't know the first thing about fighting! How am I going to make it past the first ten seconds!"

"How about not getting scratched?" Yukiko suggested drily. Hoshi snorted in her can of Fanta. Amaimon stuck his fiftieth Reece in his mouth, "I tried, girls. I really did. But the guy's as stubborn as a mule."

"In fact," Yukiko hesitated before gently taking the Earth King's hand, "Thank you. It was very kind of you to try to help."  
Amaimon was sure his cheeks were scarlet. He smiled warmly and squeezed Yukiko's hand, "It was the least I could do."

"Yeah." Hoshi nodded, "At least now, I don't have to fight my own sister."

Yukiko, who'd been thinking for a minute (never letting go of Amaimon's hand), suddenly brightened. She turned to the brown-skinned woman, "Kuri. You just said you can't fight, correct?"

"Right," Kuri nodded, not sure where this was going.

"Amaimon," Yukiko turned to the Earth King, "Remember that knife you used on your last mission? The green one?"  
"Ah, yes." The green-haired boy grinned, "I had a lot of fun with it."

"I'm scared." Kuri muttered jokingly.

"Well, you think you could lend it to Kuri?" Yukiko asked, "That way, at least she'll have some form of protection."  
Amaimon winced, like he'd just been stabbed himself, "I'm not sure, Yuki. The Omega Blade is designed for people and demons alike with the goal of bloodshed. I don't think Kuri could handle it."

Kuri spoke up, "And who says I can't? What, you think I can't even wield a knife?"

"No, I don't." Amaimon said bluntly, locking eyes with the African-American, "You are quick-witted and sharp, but you're not ready for that level of combat."  
"Please, Amai." Yukiko begged, "It's only for one day."

Amaimon looked at Yukiko, then at Kuri. His expression morphed when he looked at her; it was critical, like a chef deciding if some pickles were still edible or not.

Finally, he sighed, "Very well." He (reluctantly) let go of Yukiko's hand and snapped his fingers. A box made of polished cherrywood appeared, floating in mid-air. Ignoring the wide-eyed looks, Amaimon reached in his pocket and pulled out a key made of emerald with a handle shaped like a crescent moon. He stuck the key in the lock. The lid clicked open. Amaimon grinned in pleasure and reached in the box.

He pulled out a dagger with a five-inch-long blade made of opal. With a touch of nausea, Kuri noticed the dried blood on the blade. Amaimon tossed her the dagger, "Here."  
Kuri caught it and held it away from herself, like it might burst into flames at any moment.

"The Omega Blade is called such because it is the last thing my victims see," Amaimon explained, "It will cut through anything living. The knife itself is dipped in demon's blood, which is so poisonous, just inhaling it means certain death."

"But I thought demon blood was black." Hoshi frowned, "That blade ain't black."

"It's absorbed it," Amaimon explained, "But trust me, it's poisionous."

"Great." Yukiko grinned, "Now, the chances of Kuri getting hurt has gone from 74% to just under 43%."

Kuri opened her mouth to form a question, but Yukiko exploded, "Not all blondes are stupid!"


	8. Chapter 5: Fire Against Fire Part 2

**Please review!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Fire Against Fire Part 2

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen!" A voice yelled through the speakers, "Thank you for coming to the weekly Deathmatch!"

"Here we go." Amaimon whispered to himself as he stuck a sucker in his mouth, his eyes glued to the TV screen.

"Today's Deathmatch is going to be _especially_ interesting," The voice said, "Because it will have _four_ teenagers instead of just two! Now, here are your contestants!"

The arena was bathed in neon-white lights. There were four huge, metal cages covered in cloth. One cloth slipped to the ground as the door swung open. Hoshi walked out. Amaimon had to admit: she looked impressive. The Japanese girl had rimmed her eyes with red make-up, giving her a disturbing appearance. She wore bright yellow tights and a form-hugging, blood-red shirt. The symbol of Iblis, her father, was hanging around her neck.

"One of our newcomers, and a child of Iblis, Xue Chang!"

The cage next to Hoshi's lost its cloth. The cage opened on its own accord as Kuri stepped out. She looked less extravagant but still gorgeous. She wore khaki pants and a white shirt that hugged her in all the right places.

"Brittany Lanes!"

The same thing happened with the next-to-last cage. Yukiko stepped out. Even though he'd only seen her scars once, Amaimon still cringed.

The cinnamon-blonde was dressed in men's size dark green shorts and a short-sleeved, moss-colored shirt. For the first time in a while, her arms and legs were exposed to him. Even the crowd had started whistling at her.

Her legs and arms' pattern resembled a zebra's. White scars zig-zagged across her light brown skin, and even from the television screen, Amaimon could see the stitch marks on most of them. The Earth King decided that, though he normally was fascinated by scars, Yukiko's scars were the only ugly thing about her.

Judging by her expression, Yukiko thought so, too. That's why she was looking at the ground and hugging her arms in an attempt to hide them. When Kuri saw what her friend had been hiding, her eyes widened. Yukiko met her gaze miserably, "They wouldn't give me my normal clothes."

"And Azami Mido!"

The final cage opened. A tall guy with olive skin stepped out. He had curly hair of a brown so dark, it was almost black. He looked about eighteen, and the symbol of Iblis was pinned on his shirt. When Hoshi saw it, she felt ground under her feet slide away. This was her half-brother? No way.

His lime-green eyes were simmering with self-entitlement. His demonic heritage showed in his pointed ears and sharp-looking claws.

"Now, here's our current champion, Theodore 'The Hammer' Williams!"

"Well well well ladies," He grinned, revealing elongated canines, "We're gonna have some fun!"

"Now, the four of them must fight each other in a duel to the death! Whoever's left standing at the end of the game wins! And...FIGHT!"

Amaimon felt his tail wag angrily. They were _all _supposed to fight? No, that hadn't been the plan; the three of them had to work together to take out Williams! How could there only be one winner?

Theodore grinned, "Now, shall we get going?" He snapped his fingers, and a long blade made of fire appeared in his hand. "Continue killing, and continue dying!" He grinned, his eyes a little wild. Kuri blinked, then leaned towards Yukiko, "This guy's a freaking maniac."

Yukiko didn't respond. Her chocolate-brown eyes were focused on Theodore's sword. "Girls," She whispered, "Don't jump until my say so."  
"Okay." Hoshi was still a little pale, but she looked on the ball.

Theodore's skin was on fire. With a grin, he unleashed his flames.

"NOW!" Yukiko screamed. The three girls dodged out of the way just as a column of flames darted in their direction. The metal wall behind them was a pile of white-hot, iron goop a second later. Kuri stared at the mess with wide eyes and imagined how that would've felt for _her_. Hoshi took one look at the melted wall and felt anger bubble in her chest. She couldn't do that. All she could do was create fire whips. Why was this guy getting the extra power?

Theodore seemed to think so, too. He smiled coldly at Hoshi, "So, you're my sister, huh? Well, come on, then! Show me what you got!"

"Correction," Yukiko shakily got to her feet, "She's not _your_ sister. She's _mine_." With that, she raced towards Theodore.

Amaimon raised his eyebrows. She was very fast, almost as fast as himself. The green-eyed boy looked nervous for a minute; then, he growled and sent a geyser of fire in her direction. Yukiko just barely dodged; the tips of her shorts blackened. The boy chuckled, "Not bad, for a girl."

Kuri felt the Omega Blade grow cold even through the fabric of her pants. She gulped and hastily pulled it out. The dagger gleamed dangerously in the neon lights. Theodore was still busy with Yukiko, so Kuri had to work quickly. She hid the knife behind her back and hurried towards the boy. Theodore held his palms up, and two balls of bright orange fire appeared. They went from pea-sized to the size of bowling balls in half a second.

"Too bad I have to kill you," Theodore grinned, "I would've wanted to have a little fun with you first."

Yukiko's light brown face turned beet-red. Amaimon growled, and he heard something break. The green-haired boy looked down to see the candy he'd been holding reduced to crumbs.

Theodore prepared to throw the fire balls, but a long whip of fire lashed at him. He yelled in pain and stumbled face-first on the ground. Hoshi's face was set in a furious scowl. Her whips started lathering him mercilessly. "I'll turn you to puree, dickhead!" She screamed, "Get away from Yuki!"

Theodore was holding out okay, but he was getting burned, and fast. His shirt was reduced to a blackened rag, and his chest and back was coated in three-degree burns. Kuri came up behind him and held the blade over her head.

The boy turned around, meeting her gaze, "Hello, dollface."

"Huh?"

Theodore grabbed Kuri's wrist and snapped it. Amaimon's eyes shot open as the young woman yelled in pain. Then, the boy effortlessly threw her across the room. The Omega Blade clattered on the tiles. Kuri's face scrunched in pain as she cradled her broken wrist. Gritting her teeth, she snapped it back into place.

Theodore grinned, and he was in front of her in half a minute. His fist blazed as he swung it. Yukiko was in front of Kuri just as the fist came down. A small cry escaped her as the blow sent her on her back. Hoshi's eyes widened. She growled as her fire-whips coiled around Theodore. Now, the boy looked surprised. He struggled to get free as the whips started hitting him again, this time even harder. "If you **_ever_** hurt her again," Hoshi hissed, "I'll roast you alive, you goddamn son of a bitch!"

Yukiko rose shakily to her feet and ran to Kuri, "A-are you okay?"

Kuri managed a weak smile, "I've been better." Her eyes went to Yukiko's chest. The fire had burned away some of the fabric, and underneath, the scarred skin was turning lobster-red. "You shouldn't have done that." She said.

"Yes, I did." Yukiko said, her expression sad, "Otherwise, you would've gotten it. In the face. Besides," She looked down, "No one's gonna cry over my grave anyway."

That was the saddest thing the brown-skinned woman had ever heard. Amaimon angrily rubbed his eyes and yelled at the screen, "Come on, girls! Tear him up!"

"Get your head out of your ass and quit acting like a big shot, you fucking meat-head!" Hoshi screamed; her fire-whips threw Theodore in the wall. He grunted and slid to the ground. Theodore glared daggers at his half-sister and spat out some blood, "You call those puppet strings powerful? You're pathetic; not fit to be a child of the Fire King!"

As Hoshi opened her mouth to retort, a fire ball nailed her. She flew across the arena, slamming her head against one of the cages.

"HOSHI!" Yukiko screamed, staggering to her feet.

"You'll be joining her in a minute!" Theodore started towards the fallen girl, but something whizzed past his ear. He ducked just in time; the Omega Blade sunk in the tiles an inch from his foot. He turned to see Kuri racing towards him. Theodore chortled, "You want some more?"

"Yeah, I want some more!" Kuri tried to punch him, but she missed completely. Theodore caught her by the throat and held her. Her brown feet dangled in the air like a rag doll's.

Theodore held a fire ball dangerously close to the woman's face, "I missed before. But trust me, I won't again."

"Wanna bet?" Hoshi slammed into him. Kuri crumbled to the ground; Yukiko rushed to her aid as the Japanese kept fighting Theodore. The boy tried to punch his half-sister, but she swatted his hand away. Her whips coiled around him again, making him scream. "Sorry," She said, a sick smile appearing on her face, "There's only one way to proceed from here on out." The whips brought him higher into the air, "Quietly cuddle up, tremble in fear, AND GO BACK TO YOUR FORMER NEST!"

With that, she flung him across the room. He slammed into the metal cage, then hit the ground. He twitched, then went still.

Hoshi stood there panting, then fell to her side, unconscious.

"Hoshi!" Yukiko rushed to her sister, feeling her forehead.

Suddenly, the lights went out, blanketing the arena in darkness. The voice boomed, "As I have just been informed, the Deathmatch will be cut short today. Who wants a challenge with two injured contestants? This week's game has no winner."

Immediately, the audience started yelling and protesting, but it was decided. Guards came in: two took Theodore away; other two did the same with Hoshi. Yukiko followed them, her expression clearly saying to the nurse, _You hurt her and you're dead._ Kuri just followed, cradling her broken wrist.


	9. Chapter 6: Blood Mix

**PLEASE review! I really want an opinion, guys!**

* * *

Chapter 6: Blood Mix

Yukiko didn't speak to Kuri for the rest of the day. The brown-skinned woman tried to exchange two words with the cinnamon-blonde, but the girl either didn't answer or answered in a skin-tight manner. The only time Yukiko's expression softened was with Hoshi. The Japanese had drained her body of most of its energy, so she would be asleep for another three days. Yukiko spent the entire time braiding Hoshi's short hair, cleaning her face, and checking her arms for any especially bad injuries. She even had a sewing kit at her side.

Kuri opened her mouth to offer help, but Yukiko glared at her. Really _glared_. The young woman froze in surprise. Yukiko had never looked at her this way before. She looked cold, hateful, and ready to strike her at the first misstep. Their gaze never wavering, Yukiko rose and left the infirmary, slamming the door behind her.

Kuri sighed and cradled her face in her hands.

A loud clattering noise made her bolt upwards. A square metal plate lay on the concrete, making the woman arch a brow.  
Amaimon jumped down from the ceiling, landing on his feet. His hands were raised in the air, like he expected an applause. Instead, Kuri just blinked, "...Um, did you just come in-"

"Through the vents, yes." The Earth King turned to Kuri, "I saw the Deathmatch. How is your wrist?"

"Bandaged, thank you." Kuri smiled. Amaimon never blinked as he asked, "Are you in pain, though?"

Kuri hesitated, then confessed, "A little."

Amaimon nodded, then jerked his head towards Hoshi, "Follow me." Kuri frowned as the green-haired boy walked towards the unconscious girl. Kuri frowned quizzically as Amaimon held Hoshi's limp hand in his. Then, he gently ran the tip of his claw over her fingertip.

"Hey." Kuri put a hand on Amaimon's shoulder, "You'll cut her."

"That's the general idea." The Earth King grabbed Kuri's bandaged hand and held it over Hoshi's. A single drop of blood formed on Hoshi's finger. Kuri saw that the drop wasn't normal: for one thing, it looked thick as syrup. Also, it was of a dark shade of red: too dark to be human. The blood dripped from Hoshi's finger to Kuri's bandages. Instantly, the African-American felt relief. The throbbing ache vanished, and she could feel her tiny, shattered bones healing themselves and snapping back into place. Not just that, but any pains that Kuri had been feeling vanished; her sore sides, her raspy throat, and her stretched leg muscles fell into blissful perfection.

Kuri sighed in relief, "How-"  
"Demonic blood is a curious thing," Amaimon explained, "Full-demon blood is black. While its regeneration abilities are amazing, it kills anyone who touches, drinks, or inhales it."

"Like the Omega Blade?"

"Exactly like the Omega Blade." Amaimon nodded, "On the other hand, a half-demon's blood can cure any ailment from retardation to toothaches." He grinned, "I get those a lot."

"Really? Who could tell?" Kuri joked, making them both laugh, "Thanks, Amaimon. It was very thoughtful of you."  
"Thoughtful's my middle name." Amaimon said, then blushed sheepishly, "Actually, my middle name is Snicker, but I don't want you spreading that around."

"Snicker?"

"Yes, I know. It's repulsive."

Kuri shrugged, "I've heard worst." Then, her shoulders slumped, "Do you know Yukiko well?"  
"I suppose." Amaimon said, "She knows me better than most, but I feel that I still have much to learn."

Kuri nodded, then noticed something. Hidden in the collar of his shirt was a chain made of vines. For some reason, Kuri suspected it had to do with the cinnamon-blonde. She smiled, "You really like her a lot, don't you?"

Amaimon stopped and blushed, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "...I'm not sure." He said after a pause, "These feelings are very new to me."

Kuri smiled softly, then remembered Yukiko's glare, "Do you think she's angry at me?"

Amaimon frowned and looked at her like he'd misheard, "Angry? In the three and a half weeks that I have known Yukiko, I have never seen her lose her temper."

"Yeah, well," Kuri looked miserable, "There's a first time for everything."

Amaimon started chewing his thumbnail in thought, his green-blue eyes deep in thought. Finally, he turned back to the African-American and said, "I suggest you talk to her. There's a good chance that you only misunderstood."  
"I hope so."

* * *

Yukiko's room was pitch-black when Kuri entered. She could just make out a small closet, a desk, and a huge pile of library books from the library.

"Y-Yuki?"

A half-choked giggle came from the bed, which was shoved in the corner. Kuri turned to see a dark shape rise. Now that her eyes were getting adjusted to the darkness, she could see Yukiko's swollen eyes. She looked like she'd been crying her eyes out. When the cinnamon-blonde saw Kuri, she said, "Well, if Deathmatches aren't enough, they could always resort to mental torture. Tell them I'll do what they want as long as they take you away."

Kuri frowned, "I just came here to-"

"What?" Yukiko swung her legs over the side of her bed, wincing, "To gloat? That you got away with a broken wrist while Hoshi's lost most of her strength and some of my cuts had to be sewn shut again? While I was awake?"

Kuri felt defensive anger fuel her words, "What're you talking about? How is it _my_ fault Hoshi passed out?"

"She lost her energy after defending you." Yukiko wiped her eyes with her sleeve, "I don't mind defending you. If I die, oh well. But," She glared at Kuri, "Hoshi tripped over herself trying to help you. And now, she's in an incredibly vulnerable state while you're alive and well." Yukiko turned her back to the African-American, "That's why I'm angry. You're completely incapable of keeping yourself out of trouble. And as a result, others have to swoop in to rescue you."

Kuri had never felt so defenseless. Yukiko's words were cold, and Kuri heard the truth in them. If she'd known how to look after herself, Hoshi and Yukiko wouldn't have had to look out for her. But then, something else hit her: the two things Yukiko had said today:

_"No one's gonna cry over my grave anyway."_

_"If I die, oh well." _

Kuri spoke, "You know what I think?"  
"What?" Yukiko looked over her shoulder.

"I think you're really angry at yourself for some reason and you're taking it out on me."

Yukiko exploded, whirling around to fully face her, "I'm angry with _you_, Kuri! You can't even keep yourself safe, so other people, in this case Hoshi, risk their necks to help you! It sickens me!" Tears streamed down Yukiko's face. Out of pure desperation and rage, the girl stomped her feet and turned back to the bed, "Just get out of my r-"

The room started shaking violently. The two girl yelped and clung to anything near them. Kuri hugged the closet, while Yukiko wrapped her arms around the bed frame. The trembling was so violent, the ceiling cracked. Luckily, the shaking receded before plaster could rain down on the girls.

Yukiko's eyes were as wide as billiard balls, "Did...did I do that?"

"Maybe," Kuri shrugged, "Maybe the cafeteria lady gave Amaimon a candy bar that tastes like foot."

Yukiko gave her a look.

Amaimon burst in the room, his mouth stuffed with sweets like a hamster's. One of the nurses, Heather, followed. The Earth King looked from Yukiko to Kuri to Yukiko again, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Yeah."  
"Sorta."

"The ground just started shaking and..." Heather shrugged, "Nobody's hurt?"

"Uh-uh." Kuri let go of the closet and brushed some light brown hair from her eyes, "Don't worry, ma'am. Neither of us are hurt." As she spoke, she shot the green-haired boy a look that said, _Did you do this?_

Amaimon shook his head once, his expression (for once) serious.

"As you can see, ma'am," Yukiko shakily got to her feet, "Everything is alright. Can Brittany, Ash, and I please talk in private?"  
"Oh, sure." Heather smiled a little uncertainly, "Just be in the cafeteria at seven. That's dinnertime."

"I won't be missing it." Amaimon grinned. Judging by his expression, Kuri guessed the Earth King was imagining all the sweets they would serve. With a slight chuckle, Heather left the room.

"Okay," Yukiko looked at her hands like she expected them to grow claws, "Since when can I create mini-earthquakes?" She looked at Amaimon softly, "Amai, did you-"  
"No." Amaimon shook his head, "Sometimes, demons can give humans they favor a small fraction of their power. But trust me, this is not the case."

"Then how..." Yukiko's eyes widened, "Oh, boy."

Kuri frowned, "What?"

Yukiko switched the lights on and walked towards a mirror. Kuri followed her, eyeing her reflection over the cinnamon-blonde's shoulder. Yukiko touched her cheek, and Kuri could see a scar just barely visible. "How'd you get that?" The African-American frowned.

"About a week or so back," Yukiko explained, apparently forgetting how angry she'd been moments ago, "I was kidnapped by the Demonic Genesis in Japan. I willingly let myself get captured to save Hoshi and Amaimon. But on the night Amaimon came to rescue me, I had obtained a small scratch..." She pointed to her cheek, "...When Kilubi, one of the nurses, tossed me on the bench. One of her nails had scratched me by accident."

Amaimon felt the pieces come together in his mind like a mosaic, "And that night, I'd had a couple of cut myself." He pulled down his shirt collar, revealing an almost-invisible cut about the size of Kuri's pinky. The Earth King continued, "When I got out of control, Yukiko hugged me..."

"...And some of your blood entered me through this." Yukiko pointed to her scar.

"Wow." Kuri didn't realize her jaw had been open until she spoke, "So, what? Now you have Amaimon's power?"

"Pfft," Yukiko rolled her eyes, "Impossible. It couldn't have been more than a drop or two. At the very most, I have 0.5% of Amaimon's power."  
"Wow." Kuri's eyes twinkled, "That's amazing."

"I'm just glad it wasn't a lot." Amaimon looked at Yukiko, and the girl felt her insides melt, "Demonic blood is poisonous. If more had entered you, you would've died."  
"Amai..." Yukiko flew in Amaimon's arms like a boomerang, and the Earth King didn't hesitate in hugging her.

Kuri still felt upset at Yukiko's words, but seeing the two of them like that made the pain more bearable.


	10. Chapter 7: Plans

**PLEASE review!  
**

* * *

Chapter 7: Plans

When Hoshi finally came to, she was given the day to get back in motion. She insisted she was fine, but Yukiko was unable to relax unless her sister got something to eat and drink. Finally, Hoshi showered, changed, had some steamed dumplings, and drank a liter of water. Then, the four of them sat in Kuri's room.

"Amaimon," Yukiko's chocolate-brown eyes went from one corner of the room to another, "We should check the room for surveillance cameras and wire taps. I wouldn't be surprised if there's one or two around here."

"No problem," Amaimon grinned toothily, "Feign indifference."

"Right." Kuri jumped on the bed and switched on the TV. Yukiko took one look at the screen and fought back a barf, "_Twilight?_ Are you serious?"

"Is this torture?" Hoshi asked bluntly, flicking a black lock from her vision, "'Cuz if it is, it's an excellent one."

"Just pretend to watch the movie!" Kuri said as Amaimon casually opened the dressers for wire taps, "We're supposed to look natural, right?"  
"If by 'natural' you mean 'idiotic', yes." Yukiko sat on the edge of the bed and watched the screen. Hoshi sighed in exasperation before grabbing a chair and sitting in it backwards. As the green-haired demon continued to rummage through Kuri's things and examine the walls with his sharpened senses, the three girls just tried not to puke through the movie.

Finally, by the line 'And the lion fell in love with the lamb', Amaimon stuck a lollipop in his mouth and announced, "Good news, ladies. We're not currently being watched."  
"Good!" Yukiko switched off the television, "Because if I have to sit through one more_ Twilight_scene, I'm going to tear my eyes out!"

"I agree, sis." Hoshi looked ready to throw up.

Kuri cleared her throat and blinked hard, "Great. Now, we can discuss the plan."

Yukiko grinned, "I was hoping you would say that." She reached in her huge jeans pockets and pulled out four wooden figurines. Amaimon couldn't help admire them: they looked like those moveable models painters used when painting people. Each figurine resembled someone: one had a little, dark green cap and a remarkable imitation to Amaimon's outfit; another had been painted dark brown and had a mop of light brown yarn on its head; the third had baggy, shapeless clothes on; the last one had a red dress and black yarn hair, each dipped in yellow, orange, or red paint.

"Impressive." Kuri whistled, "How long did that take you?"

Yukiko shrugged, not looking at the young woman, "I dunno. Half an hour." Then, she cleared her throat and began to explain, "Our mission is to take down the clinic, rescue the half-demon children, and kill the workers here."

"All of them?" Kuri frowned, "But Heather's nice-"

"So was Dr. Delaney," Yukiko shot back, her eyes burning with pain, "Until he allowed Kilubi to remove my kidney and stomach while I was still awake."  
Kilubi opened her mouth, then closed it. Amaimon wanted to pull up Yukiko's shirt and kiss where Kilubi had cut her, but that would probably earn him a week of the cold shoulder. So he merely moved closer to the cinnamon-blonde and took her hand. Yukiko's expression softened. She smiled weakly and squeezed Amaimon's hand before continuing, "Yes. We have to kill the workers here. If we allow them to live, we'll risk getting destroyed from the inside out. Even if we bribe them, their loyalties to Demonic Genesis wouldn't expire."

Kuri didn't like it, but she could understand the girl's reasoning. She nodded and pulled out the Omega Blade, "Will we use this?"  
Yukiko pistol-shot her with her fingers, "Here's the plan. Today, I snuck into the computer room and found something. It turns out, the authorities check this place out one week a month to make sure it follows all the rules of safety, security, and so on. The week starts tomorrow. During that time, there will be no tests, no Deathmatches, and definitely no 'terminating' failed half-demons. Demonic Genesis will look like a squeaky-clean clinic with absolutely nothing to hide."

Hoshi beamed, "That's where we come in."

Yukiko winked at her sister, "Indeed. There's a control room somewhere in this building. It operates the air conditioning, the Deathmatch broadcasting, electricity, and so on. Hoshi, you'll go there and switch everything around. If a lever's up, pull it down. If a button's not pressed, press it like hell. That will turn everything in here upside down, and it'll give us the chance to free the kids. Kuri, you and I will gather the children and bring them to the outside via the garbage shoot."  
"Garbage shoot?" Kuri asked, "Isn't there something a bit more hygienic?"  
"It's the only direct way out of here, unless you include the crematorium. And since Hoshi will be joining us later, I don't want her to accidentally set the place on fire."

Hoshi giggled, "I feel loved."  
"You are." Yukiko pulled Hoshi in a one-armed hug before turning back to the plan, "And finally: Amaimon, you wait outside. Once all of us are out of the building, you can use your powers to take it down."  
Amaimon simpered, "I like this plan, Yuki!"  
"I knew you would." Yukiko smiled, "Once we're out, we'll have Mephisto send us a jet."

Kuri smiled, "Sounds like a plan. When do we start?"  
"Tomorrow." Yukiko said, "It would look suspicious if this happened the day Hoshi gets better."

"True that." Hoshi ran a hand through her short hair, "I can't wait."

* * *

"So, Miss, uh..." Mephisto consulted the clipboard, "Jane Greene. What are your qualifications?"

"Number one in my class of demonology," An olive-skinned woman responded, "Extensive knowledge in war tactics, and impressive doctor lineage."  
The purple-haired demon smirked. This young woman had been working for Salual, Kuri's older brother. Apparently, it'd been her ideas and suggestions to bring Mr. Conwell's search so far. She was like Yukiko: hard-working, diligent, and focused.

Still, there was something...odd about her. Mephisto couldn't quite place his finger on it, but something told him that he wasn't wrong in suspecting her.

But they were short on employees. What else could he do? Mephisto sighed and rose, "Very well, then. Welcome aboard."

"Thank you." Jane smiled, her hazel eyes shining, "I promise, I will do everything I can to help."

_For your sake, I hope so,_ Mephisto thought.


	11. Chapter 8: Redemption

**PLEASE review!  
**

* * *

Chapter 8: Redemption

"So, whatcha think of that last Deathmatch?" A male nurse asked his friend as he adjusted the temperatures. The other nurse shrugged, "It was pretty cool, I'll admit. Theo's always ready to rip someone apart, but yesterday was something else."  
"Yeah, tell me about it." The first nurse grinned, "When that blonde chick took her friend's punch for her, I got the chills. I mean, she already looks like a rag doll. Why add more to the collection?"  
The second nurse shrugged again, "Maybe she just cares a lot?"  
The two nurses shared a 'maybe' gesture before getting back to work.

Their work was cut short when Theodore, now bandaged up, jumped in the doorway. With an ecstatic cackle, he sprayed silly string all over them. The nurses yelled as the green, stale-smelling stuff stuck to their faces, arms and chests. Theodore laughed hysterically, almost losing his balance. "That's it! Come here, you little brat!" The first nurse yelled. "Like hell!" Theodore yelled right back. He threw the silly string cans at the nurses' feet and bolted in the hallway. The two nurses ran after him, calling him all sorts of foul names.

Hoshi, who'd been bracing herself on the ceiling, grinned. She smoothly let go of the pipe and landed smoothly on the tiled floor, barely making a sound.

The walkie-talkie tucked in her belt crackled. A second later, Yukiko's voice came through, "Remind me again why we let Stalin Jr. join."  
"Because he said we're not allowed to die until we have a rematch." Hoshi said, "And that means he's gonna keep our asses safe."

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better!" Yukiko's voice was soaked in sarcasm, earning her an unseen eye-roll from Hoshi.

"Okay sis, I'm in the control room." Hoshi announced as she entered the room. Yukiko nodded, even though her sister couldn't see it, "Great. Now, remember: get the hell out of there once you're done tinkering with things. The garbage shoot is down the corridor opposite of where you are."

"Wait: how the hell did you know that?" Hoshi arched a black brow.

"Amaimon spent the last hour memorizing every corner of this place." Yukiko explained. Hoshi grinned devilishly, "He seems ready to do anything for you."  
A slight pause. Then, Yukiko said, "He cares about us. That's why he does it."

"Yeah, sure." Hoshi muttered sarcastically, "Okay, see you in a bit." She was about to hang up when Yukiko suddenly yelped, "Wait!"  
"Yeah?" Hoshi frowned.

"...I love you, sis."

Hoshi blinked, then smiled softly, "Same here." With that, she hung up and turned her attention to the controls.

She grinned and cracked her knuckles.

* * *

A few minutes later, Yukiko and Kuri were drowned in darkness. Immediately, the nervous voices of workers echoed through the hall. The two shared an awkward grin before slipping out of Kuri's room. The brown-skinned woman, on her own insistence, was carrying the two backpacks. Yukiko's wounds were healing, but not fast enough that she could carry five pounds' worth of stuff.

"With all this commotion, they won't notice us," Kuri said with a simper, "Yuki, I'll get the older kids. You get the little ones."  
"Alright," Yukiko held up her walkie-talkie, "Any problems, call me."

"Sure." Kuri assured her. With a shared nod, the two split up.

Twenty minutes later, two herds met up in the corridor. The garbage shoot was planted into the neon-white wall.  
Kuri cleared her throat, "Okay, we can't all go in at once."  
"Not kidding." Another dark-skinned girl rolled her eyes, "We'll take turns."  
"The little ones should go in first." A brown-haired boy spoke up, "We can fight off these fucks. They can't."

Yukiko nodded, then looked at the three children. "It'll be okay." She promised them, remembering the little girl she'd let down. With a weak smile, she picked up a little boy with the symbol of Beelzebub pinned on his shirt.

"In you go." Kuri opened the door, and Yukiko dropped him inside. She did the same with the twin daughters of Kage. Once they were out of sight, Yukiko turned to the four teenagers Kuri had retrieved, "You guys go in first. Kuri, go with them. Theo and Hoshi should be coming soon, so they'll follow. I'll exit last."

"No." Kuri shook her head, "Forget it. You've risked your life enough for one decade. I'll stay."

"What if a nurse shows up?" Yukiko crossed her arms, "What will you do?"

"I'll use this," Kuri reached in her backpack and pulled out the Omega Blade. The brown-haired boy whistled, "Nice blade, baby cakes."  
"Don't call me that," Kuri warned, "Now go."

The boy did the right thing and shut up. He crawled into the hole, then his whoops echoed as he slid down. The dark-skinned girl followed, then a red-haired boy, and finally, a girl with bulging dark eyes. Yukiko didn't seem to like it, but she nodded at Kuri, "Come as soon as you can."  
"Sure thing."  
Without another word, the cinnamon-blonde went down the chute.

As her yells died out, Hoshi and Theo appeared, panting and sweating. "Did...everything...work?" The Japanese girl asked.

"Yes, everything went fine." Kuri tilted her head towards the chute, "Now, go. I'll catch up in a second."  
"Fine by me." Theo climbed in without a second glance. Hoshi rolled her dark brown eyes, "Asshole."

She followed. Kuri sighed in relief and started towards the chute.

"Wait!"

The African-American whirled around, ready to strike. Heather stood there, looking scared and a little desperate. "You can't stop us," Kuri warned, "We're getting out of here."  
"I know," The black-haired woman swallowed, "Please take me with you."

Kuri blinked, "Come again?"

"I got it, okay? What we're doing is wrong. Until now, I thought half-demons were monsters. But when I saw how Hoshi protected you and Yukiko yesterday..." She shook her head sadly, "I know it's a little late, but I want to repent for what I did. Let me come along."

Kuri snorted. This was so cliche. "Nice try." She put one leg into the chute.

"Who do you think ended the match yesterday?"

Kuri stopped and eyed the nurse suspiciously. Heather nodded, "Yes. I bribed them to end it. Watching it go on was too much."  
Kuri hesitated. Why should she trust someone who'd willingly sent dozens, if not more, kids to their deaths? But then again, what proof did she have that Heather was lying? If she _was_ telling the truth, Kuri will have let a regretful person die just to spare herself the betrayal.

"Fine." She caved with a sigh, "Come on."


	12. Chapter 9: Time To Rest

**PLEASE review! This contains fluff! No nudity or anything. Just plain, old-fashioned fluff. And really, who doesn't like fluff? Look up what Yukiko says on Google Translate if you don't know what it means.  
**

* * *

Chapter 9: Time To Rest

Mephisto missed all the action that night.

The kids Kuri, Yukiko, Hoshi, and Amaimon had managed to retrieve had been sent to the floor dedicated to the half-demons. Salual was there, too; when Kuri saw him, she bit back a yelp and ran in his arms. The two left the office while Hoshi, Amaimon, and Yukiko waited for Mephisto. Yukiko was resting her head on Hoshi's shoulder, and the black-haired girl was comforting her sister in every way she could. Amaimon said nothing, but he stroked the cinnamon-blonde's arm as gently as he could.

Mephisto came out of the steaming bathroom, his purple hair damp and his pale skin shiny from the shower. Amaimon thanked Gehenna that his older brother had chosen to wear a robe rather than go to the closet nude. That had already happened once in Amaimon's youth, and the Earth King _still_ got nightmares about it.

"Why, hello." The demon smiled at the trio, "I assume the mission went smoothly."

"Yeah." Hoshi said curtly, "The Demonic Genesis of London is currently being put out by fire fighters. We even got a new recruit, Heather. She should be here soon: she needs to rest up first."

"Wonderful!" Mephisto smiled brightly, "How many half-demons did you retrieve?"

"Five." Amaimon chimed in quietly, "There were originally seven, but one got shot by some workers before I killed them, and another died along the way from the drugs in her system."

"Oh, dear." Mephisto's forest-green eyes widened, "I'm so sorry!" Yukiko whimpered and burrowed deeper in her sister's shirt, darkening the color. Amaimon's claw slid down her arm and gripped her hand. Yukiko hesitated, then locked their fingers. Amaimon found himself yielding just a little bit to his desires as he brought her hand to his face. He gently and quickly kissed Yukiko's knuckles. In Hoshi's shirt, Yukiko blushed bright red. Hoshi smiled a little at the Earth King's sweetness.

Mephisto smirked and said, "I am very sorry you lost a couple along the way. Do you have the names of the survivors, though?"  
"Yes." Amaimon spoke the names out of memory, "Roger Donovan, Sydney Myers, Ellen Carter, and Mary and Anna Douglas."

"Excellent." Mephisto said, turning to his desk, "I have hired a woman to help speed Salual's search for the headquarters of this project. Her name is Jane Greene. She will start tomorrow."  
"Great." Hoshi nodded, "Now, can we go to bed?"

"Of course." Mephisto bowed slightly, "Have a good night's rest. But first, can one of you please watch over the children? I've been around demons long enough to know that peace between them is rare and blissful."

"Yes, Mom." Hoshi muttered sarcastically. She turned to the green-haired boy, "You mind tucking her in?"

Amaimon was sure his face was on fire, "Excuse me?"

"Well, I gotta make sure the kids aren't wrestling each other!" Hoshi snapped, "Normally, I'd asked Yukiko to do this kinda thing, but look at her!"  
Amaimon _did_ look at her. Yukiko looked awful. Her eyes looked blank and empty like a zombie's, and tear stains were visible on her light brown cheeks. How could he leave her like this?  
Amaimon sighed, "Very well." Without another word, he picked the girl up like she weighed nothing. It reminded him of when he'd rescued her a week before. Hoshi smiled, "Thanks, Broccoli Head."

The Earth King smiled a little back, "You're welcome, Fire Girl."

He carried Yukiko to the room she shared with Hoshi, kicking the door open. Of course, he couldn't control his strength and ended up breaking the door off its hinges. Yukiko sighed a little, "No more candy for you."  
Amaimon huffed, but deep down, he was happy he'd triggered something, "Do you want to change or...?"

"Sure." Yukiko carefully extracted herself from his grasp and staggered to the wardrobe. She pulled out a mustard-colored nightgown that looked large enough to fit a gorilla. "I'll be right back." Without waiting for an answer, she rushed in the bathroom.

Amaimon rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, chewing his thumbnail from his other one. Yukiko was definitely not some fragile little Mary Sue, but she was more sensitive than she let on. It was clear that, once again, the cinnamon-blonde felt rueful about the deaths of the two half-demons. Even if this time, she'd had nothing to do with it, Yukiko still felt that she could've done something to avoid those deaths. Of course, there wasn't anything she could do; not without a bulletproof shield and first-aid supplies. But that didn't stop her from feeling guilt.

Yukiko stepped out of the bedroom in the nightgown, her clothes in her arms and her eyes on the ground. Without a word, she dropped the clothes in dirty laundry basket and climbed in the small bed. Amaimon snapped out of his trance and walked towards her. He pulled the covers over Yukiko, who was curling up on her side. The Earth King felt his insides burn at seeing her like this.

"Hey." He gently took her hand, making her blink and look at him. "Don't make yourself suffer like this. Please."  
Yukiko laughed, a sad, broken sound, "Why not? Who else am I to blame?"

"Those monsters that are now rotting in an English sewer." Amaimon said bluntly, "We did what was right. The fact that two out of seven didn't make it is not our fault; it's theirs."  
Yukiko lay there, looking at the Earth King with large, mournful chocolate-brown eyes. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Amaimon felt butterflies in his stomach as he hugged her back. Continuing to hug her, Amaimon seated himself on the bed.

"Amai," She whispered, "I'm sorry. You must think I'm pathetic."

"Never." Amaimon pulled away and held her face in his hands, "You are not pathetic. Please don't call yourself that. You're brave, caring, kind..." He swallowed, "And very beautiful."  
Yukiko's face reddened, but she managed a smirk, "What book is that from?"  
"The same one where the boy does this." Amaimon leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on the girl's lips. Yukiko felt her chest turn to a bonfire as she tentatively kissed him back, even putting a hand on his cheek. Amaimon moaned softly and leaned towards the touch, his eyes closing. Yukiko smiled against his lips and kissed him for another second before pulling away.

The Earth King opened his eyes, a soft smile on his face. "How do you do it?" Yukiko asked, "How do you make me feel better when I feel five different types of down?"  
"Hey," Amaimon reminded her, "You calmed me down after I butchered the first Demonic Genesis. This is nothing."

Yukiko smiled at him, the self-loathing gone. A sort of peace and happiness had taken its place. She yawned, covering her mouth.

The Earth King patted her pillow, "It's late. You should sleep."

Yukiko nodded and curled up in the bed again, Amaimon pulling the covers all the way up to her chin. "Goodnight, Amaimon." She whispered, her eyes closing.

"Goodnight, Yuki." Amaimon rose and left the room. As he closed the door, Yukiko whispered under the blankets, "_Aishteru_."


	13. Chapter 10: Snarling Dogs

**PLEASE review!  
**

* * *

Chapter 10: Snarling Dogs

The next morning, Mephisto smirked when he saw his little brother tenderly holding hands with Yukiko. Hoshi and Kuri were exchanging looks, while Shura just looked amused. Amaimon, who was using his free hand to shovel candy in his mouth, spoke up, "Aniue, what is it we are doing now?"  
"Well, my romantic little brother," Mephisto leered, "Our newest member, Miss Greene, has spent the last 5 hours alongside Mr. Conwell searching for some kind of lead as to where the headquarters are. And guess what?"

"They found it?" Hoshi guessed.

"They stopped for candy?" Amaimon shrugged.

"They ran into some technical difficulties?" Yukiko suggested.

"Close," Mephisto dropped some sugar cubes in his tea, "They found something."

"What?" The four young women rose all at the same time. Amaimon chuckled as his brother nodded, "They found a building several miles outside town. Because it has been renovated, Greene and Conwell concluded there is a 25% chance that something is going on. Also, a number of children were last seen there."

"Okay," Shura nodded, "So...what? They're gonna check fer t'emselves?"

"Precisely." Mephisto sipped his tea, "They will select three of their finest agents to accompany Miss Greene. You see, Mr. Conwell is needed here as well. He will be in constant communication with the others while they check the place for evidence. Once they have investigated the area from front to back, they will return to give us the update."

"But why can't they just use cameras or something?" Hoshi asked.

"In the dark? Not a brilliant idea." Mephisto retorted.

"Right." Kuri tapped her fingernails against her teeth, "I hope everyone comes back okay."

"Don't worry, Kuri." Hoshi patted the African-American's shoulder, "These are pros. They'll be fine."

* * *

The van stopped right in front of a swamp. Nobody wanted to get out, but they knew there was no alternative. Jane took a deep breath, "Come on, let's get this over with."  
"Yes, ma'am." An agent with a cotton jacket nodded and climbed out. The other two exited the van, as did Jane.

The swamp was extremely unwelcoming. It smelled like rotten eggs, and the mist seemed to cling to their clothes. One agent with a green cap pulled her shirt over her mouth and nose, "Let's go. Mr. Conwell said that there would be an elevator that brings us downstairs...to the entrance of the building."

"Wow." Cotton Jacket rolled his eyes, "This gets better all the time."

Jane said nothing as she led the small team through the thick mud. Before long, they came face to face with a rusty old elevator. The third agent, a woman with triangular-shaped glasses, stepped forward and tried the buttons. After a few fruitless moments later, the door creaked open. Jane, Cotton Jacket, Green Cap, and Triangle Glasses stepped inside. The elevator slowly but surely made its way down.

They reached the bottom of the swamp, their night-vision glasses on. Cotton Jacket and Green Cap held up revolvers, ready to shoot. "Okay," Triangle Glasses held her walkie-talkie close to her lips, "Mr. Conwell, we've arrived."  
"I've told you: please call me 'Salual'."  
Triangle Glasses chuckled, "Very well, _Salual_, what now?"

"You'll find the entrance of the building twelve meters ahead. But I think two of you should stay behind should anything happen." Salual said gently but firmly.

"Yes, sir." Triangle Glasses hung up and turned to her team, "Okay, Frank," She turned to Cotton Jacket, "You come with me. Miss Greene, Lauren? You two stay here. We'll call if we need anything."  
"Sure." Jane nodded.

"Okay." Lauren nodded.

Triangle Glasses nodded in return before disappearing in the fog with Frank.

Twenty minutes later, the duo caught sight of a huge building. It looked a lot like an apartment building, but less, well, accommodating. The place looked like it'd been cleaned recently, but it wasn't decorated with flowers, cheesy plastic flamingos, or anything people usually use to decorate the entrances to their homes. That's how Frank and Triangle Glasses knew that this wasn't a residence.

"You think it's the headquarters?" Frank asked, his revolver still in his hands.

"I don't know." Triangle Glasses answered, "If it is, it's pretty damn unimpressive. Let's go check it out." As she stepped forward, low growls crawled through the air. The two froze and slowly looked around as more growling echoed through the damp air.

Frank saw them first. His lime-green eyes widened, "Harper."

Harper frowned and followed his gaze. Her eyes widened in horror. Five dark shapes appeared in the fog. They were shorter than the two agents, but that didn't comfort them in the slightest. Especially when one snarled and stepped forward.

It looked like a guard dog, only ten times more vicious. Dried blood coated its muzzle, and its eyes glowed red like embers.

The two knew what it was: a hellhound. One of the smallest but most dangerous demons in Gehenna. Frank tried to shoot it, but the bullet fell uselessly on its coat. Frank and Harper let out a scream and bolted in the direction they came from. The five hellhounds howled and raced after them.

Back in the elevator, Lauren and Jane heard their coworkers shrieking like banshees. Lauren normally would've dismissed it as a prank, but when the yells continued, she wasn't so convinced.

"Miss Greene, wait here." She said before pulling out her pistol. She ran into the fog while Jane smiled slyly.

Not too long after she ran in the fog, Lauren saw the shapes of her friends running towards her. "What the hell...?" She trailed off when she saw the five hellhounds hot on her coworkers' heels. "My God..." Her eyes widened as Frank grabbed her arm, "Come on!"  
The three raced back to the elevator, trying to outrun the hellhounds.

Once they reached the elevator, they found Jane sitting inside, her eyes on her lap.

"Miss Greene, open the door!" Lauren yelled.

"Let us in, **_please!_**" Frank begged, shaking the bars with his trembling hand.

"Open the door!" Harper screamed. Jane slowly looked up at her three coworkers with a blank stare. Harper was bordering on hysterical, "Open the door, please!"

Behind them, the hellhounds were drawing dangerously close. Some of them were even licking their lips in anticipation. Jane rose and reached for the door handle.

The three coworkers looked at her gratefully.

Jane pushed the 'UP' button.

"NO!" Lauren screamed, "Jane, please!"

"What're you doing?" Frank demanded.

He got his answer as the elevator slowly made its way up. Jane leered at them, waving 'good-bye'. The three screamed and begged her to come back, but as the elevator disappeared into the fog, they turned around to stare at the snarling dogs.

Jane listened to Frank, Lauren, and Harper shrieking in pain and fear as the hellhounds ate them alive. She had a small, vagrant smile on her face as she made her way back to the van. She pulled out her walkie-talkie, "Hello, Salual."

"Miss Greene? What's happened? Why aren't the others answering?" Salual sounded almost as panicked at the agents. Jane chuckled lowly, "I'm afraid to report that there's been an unfortunate accident."


	14. Chapter 11: Reddish Brown Mud Pt 1

**PLEASE review!  
**

* * *

Chapter 11: Reddish-Brown Mud Part 1

"It was a tragedy. Took us entirely by surprise." Jane continued tearfully, wiping her eyes for the fifth time in half an hour, "I was only wounded, thank God. But the others..." She sighed. Hoshi and Yukiko shared a look as Mephisto asked, "And how did you escape, exactly?"

"I went up the elevator." Jane replied, "As the hellhounds ripped the others apart, Frank yelled at me to go. He died a noble death."  
"Mm-hmm." Kuri twirled some light brown hair, never looking away from Jane's face, "And what's your conclusion of this attack?"

"I think that this is indeed the headquarters." Jane said, "Hellhounds can't be tamed by just anyone. It takes skill, discipline, and years of work."

"You seem to know quite a bit about hellhound training." Hoshi said, arching a black brow. Jane's eyes fumed, but she calmly responded, "My father was a Tamer. His familiar was a hellhound."

"Sure." Hoshi rose, "We'll be going now." Yukiko did the same, glaring daggers at Jane. Kuri followed. Jane memorized their faces and names as they exited the room. Outside, thunder rumbled like a war-drum.

Salual spoke up, "It's great we found the headquarters. I honestly wouldn't have expected to find it so soon. We should invade the building as soon as possible. But first, please." His hazel-green eyes watered slightly, but he kept his voice steady, "Mr. Pheles, can we postpone the research for a day or two? I want to give Harper, Frank, and Lauren the funeral they deserve."

Mephisto's expression softened. He nodded, "Of course." He looked out the window as his voice hardened, "Sir."  
"Yes?" A bodyguard asked timidly.

"Get someone else to help you. Come back here today with an identifier from each agent. We have no bodies, but I still want to have some ceremony. Bring back anything: a shirt, a hat, a necklace...anything you see fit." Mephisto said firmly, looking the guard right in the eye. It was times like these that Salual saw who the purple-haired demon really was. He was a demon who knew where he stood and what power he owned. If anyone defied his orders, he would be punished.

"Yes, sir." The bodyguard bowed from the waist up and left the room.

* * *

"She's lying. She has to be." Yukiko said as she played with her paintbrush, "I didn't know Frank Roberts well, but I knew him well enough to know that he never would've let two out of three people die. He would've done everything he could to keep everyone safe."

"Are you sure she's lying 100%?" Kuri asked, "I mean, her arm's badly cut-"

"Anyone can fake injuries." Hoshi snarled, "Shura told me that her mentor, Shiro Fujimoto, broke two of his ribs to be taken care of by a booby nurse."  
Yukiko's face reddened, but she spoke, "I wonder how much of what she said is actually true."

"Well, unless we have a lying detector, all we can do is guess." Kuri swung her legs over the side of the couch, "Okay, let's put ourselves in the enemy's shoes."

Yukiko and Hoshi nodded.

"Alright, Hoshi, say you're the DG boss. Your headquarters risk being exposed. What would you do?" Kuri asked, her large eyes open for options.

Hoshi thought a minute, "I'd try to move away...as soon...as..." Her dark brown eyes widened. Yukiko and Kuri came to the same conclusion.  
"This was all done on purpose. Those three were _meant_ to die." Yukiko spoke, "Whoever's in charge of DG must know that Salual would care about his workers enough to delay the search for their funerals. That may not be a lot of time, but considering DG became worldwide in less than four decades, I'm not completely surprised."

"It's someone who knows Salual." Kuri said, "Maybe even the rest of us."

"Who says?" Hoshi suggested, "It could very well be a spy passing information."

"You know what I think?" Yukiko said, "I think we should go to the swamp ourselves. I won't believe what Jane said unless I see it with my own eyes."

"You're forgetting about the hellhounds, sis." Hoshi said, "If they ripped apart three armed adults, I doubt they'd go soft for an Asian, a blonde, and an African-American."

"Right. I hadn't thought of that." Yukiko twirled some of her hair around her finger, thinking. Suddenly, she brightened, "I'll ask Amaimon. He _must_ have a way of dealing with hellhounds in Gehenna!"

Hoshi smiled jokingly, "You just want an excuse to be with him."

Yukiko blushed bright red, "No, I don't!"

"Just go, honey. Go." Kuri smiled. Yukiko smiled back gratefully and left the room.

* * *

Yukiko heard Amaimon before she saw him.

He was sitting on the school roof, his green hair and tattered jacket billowing in the cold, damp wind. The demon was singing, Yukiko realized with a smile, the lullaby she'd sung to him what felt like a century ago when he'd told her about his mother.

_"Warusa baka ni no uddopekka_

_Kyou mon anake_

_Moriboro darake okotta uddo godo_

_Kuchibashi wo doku ni kaeta."_

Yukiko smiled and climbed up the ladder, singing along under her breath. Amaimon either didn't hear her over his singing and the wind or chose to ignore her. Either way, she didn't interrupt him as he continued to sing:

"_Komatta uddopekka_

_Su ana ga doku ni, gohan mo doku ni_

_Tomodachi ni furereba shinubakari_

_Kanashinda uddopekka."_

Yukiko plopped next to Amaimon and sang the last line, "_Doku no namida ga kira kira hikaru._" Amaimon turned to the cinnamon-blonde in surprise. Then, his face broke into a gentle smile. He wrapped an arm around her. Yukiko gladly responded, cuddling in his chest for warmth. Amaimon grinned and sniffed her hair.

"Hello," He purred. Yukiko blushed and whispered, "Greetings."

"What brings you here?" Amaimon asked as he pulled a Snickers from his pocket. He unwrapped it, hesitated, then held it out to her. Yukiko smiled in thanks and took a tiny bite. Then, Amaimon shoved the rest of the bar in his mouth.  
"I came here to ask you something."  
"Anything."  
"How do you calm down a hellhound?"  
Amaimon stopped in mid-chew and arched a dark green brow at her, "Why do you ask?"  
Yukiko was fast but accurate in explaining what had happened. Amaimon nodded and swallowed before responding, "Hellhounds are tricky. The only way to _really_calm one down is to blow a whistle."

"A whistle."

"Yep." Amaimon waved a long-clawed nail, and a whistle made of ice appeared. He took it and held it out to Yukiko, "Careful."  
She took it, then almost dropped it. Touching the whistle was like sticking her entire hand in a bucket of Arctic ice water.  
"Yeah, I know." Amaimon nodded in sympathy, "It's crafted from Gehenna ice, found only in the fourth layer of Hell."  
"Charming." Yukiko muttered. She removed the scarf she'd brought from around her neck and wrapped it around the whistle.  
"It can only be used once." Amaimon warned, "And once they hear it, the hellhounds will be paralyzed for exactly 6 hours, 6 minutes, and 6 seconds."

"666." Yukiko cracked a smile, "The number of the beast."

"Of course." Amaimon looked surprised, "Where do you think they got the idea from?"

Yukiko giggled in response and gave Amaimon a quick peck on the cheek, "Thanks, Amai. See you later." As she rose to leave, Amaimon suddenly blurted, "Hey, Yuki?"  
She turned to him.

"Be safe."  
Yukiko smiled and winked, "I'll be fine. Don't worry."


	15. Chapter 11: Reddish Brown Mud Pt 2

**PLEASE review!  
**

* * *

Chapter 11: Reddish-Brown Mud Part 2

"Here we are, ladies." The taxi driver announced with less than enthusiasm. Kuri, Yukiko, and Hoshi shared looks. Yukiko and Hoshi climbed out as Kuri forced a smile, "Thank you, sir. Here." She handed him thirty yen, "Keep the rest."

"Um...thank you." The driver nodded stiffly as the African-American exited the car. Once the yellow car disappeared, leaving behind a smoke of exhaust, the three girls made their way towards the elevator.

Yukiko noticed something before they even entered. She knelt down, twirling some curly hair between her fingers, "Look. Only one set of footprints."  
"Jane's." Kuri concluded. Yukiko spat on the ground and opened the elevator door, keeping it open for the others. Hoshi ruffled the cinnamon-blonde's hair in thanks as she and Kuri wormed inside. Yukiko smiled and closed the door with a clang. Hoshi pressed the 'DOWN' button, and the elevator started its slow journey down. Kuri hugged herself and leaned against the bars. Her sneaker stepped on something.

"Huh?" She looked down and lifted her foot. Hoshi crouched down and picked the object up. When she recognized it, her face paled, "It's a key." Her dark brown eyes darted to the keyhole in the door. Yukiko seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she gently took the key from her sister's hand and held it close to the keyhole. Her face paled as well, but she forced her voice to sound calm, "There's no doubt about it. This must be the key to this door."

"Now why would she lock herself in if she 'escaped'?" Kuri asked rhetorically, "My theory is that she somehow got inside before everyone else and locked them out. I don't see any other explanation."  
"Leaving three innocent people to die." Yukiko was gripping the handle so tightly, her knuckles were white. Hoshi looked at her sister sympathetically, remembering how the cinnamon-blonde's mother had abandoned her the night of her husband's murder. As a result, there was little that disgusted Yukiko more than abandonment.

The elevator landed with a _thump_ in the lower area of the swamp. All the girls coughed and covered their mouths and noses. The stench was unbearable. It smelled like rotting meat, sun-baked mud, and decomposing plants. Not pleasant.

The sight sickened the girls even more, if it was possible. The mud in front of the elevator was a horrible reddish-brown color, and tattered, crimson-stained clothes decorated the ground. Lying half-buried in the muck was Lauren's green cap.

"Jesus Christ," Kuri breathed as they cautiously stepped outside, "It looks like a slaughterhouse."

"You're probably not that far off, girl." Hoshi muttered, her eyes taking in every detail. Yukiko's face had gone green, but she swallowed audibly and said, "This confirms my suspicions. The evidence is all here. Jane locked herself in the elevator and left these poor agents here to be killed. And why?" Her hands balled into fists at her sides, "To buy her company time to sneak away like rats." She literally trembled with fury. Then, with a small yell, she stomped the ground with her boot.

The ground shook violently, sending everyone in violent totters. Yukiko and Kuri managed to maintain their balance, but Hoshi fell right in the bloody mud.

"Swell." She muttered, sitting up, "I bet beauty salons do this all the freaking time."

Yukiko chuckled under her breath and held her hand out, "Here, let me help you." Hoshi grunted in thanks and clasped her hand in Yukiko's. With a loud snort, Yukiko yanked Hoshi to her feet.

A coughing sound made the three girls frown and look around. Yukiko saw it first, "What the...?" She ran towards the thing. Kuri and Hoshi shared a shrug before hurrying after the cinnamon-blonde.

Yukiko crouched before a particularly large pile of mud, "I could've sworn I heard it here..." She stopped. Ignoring the looks her friends were giving her, Yukiko dug at the mud with her bare hands, staining her sleeves. A second later, she shrieked and bolted back, "It's a _body!_"

"Then why did it cough?" Hoshi put herself between Yukiko and the body, "If it's a zombie, I'll give it a first-class ticket to Hell."  
"Wait." Kuri nervously edged towards the body. She leaned forward, listening. Her brown eyes widened, then she turned to the sisters, "This person's still alive! I can hear him breathing!"  
"What? That's impossible!" Yukiko retorted, "They were _eaten alive!_ Who lives through something like _that?_"

"Apparently," Hoshi pointed above their heads, "Azazel." Yukiko and Kuri glowered and followed Hoshi's red-manicured finger.

Floating in the air was an upside down made of microscopic ghosts, all moaning and crying. Kuri recognized that symbol; it was the sign of, as Hoshi had just said, Azazel, the King of Spirits. She took over, "We need to get this guy back home, and _fast_. Hoshi..."

"Way ahead of ya." Hoshi's short hair extended into six-foot-long whips of fire. She gently scooped up the man, being careful not to burn him too much. As he was lifted into the air, the poor guy's arm fell aside like a chunk of wood. The girls bit back bile and hurried back to the elevator.


	16. Chapter 12: Evidence

**PLEASE review! Gehenna is kinda like the Underworld from Greek mythology here. I just thought it'd be cool!  
**

* * *

Chapter 12: Evidence

"Is he going to be okay?" Yukiko asked Kuri, who was putting the medicine back in the cabinet. The young woman shrugged, "I think so, maybe. He's missing an arm, half of his flesh, and his large intestine. Luckily, he didn't lose anything vital like the lungs or heart. But it'll take months for all that skin to grow back. Until then, he won't be very okay in my book."

Hoshi sighed and rubbed her forehead, "That fucking cunt. She left him and two innocent women to die."

"Well, it's a good thing we found him when we did." Kuri said, flipping her hair back, "Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have made it."  
"But how can he still be alive?" Yukiko asked, "I mean, I know he didn't lose any important organs, but he must've lost _a lot_ of blood. How could he survive?"

Kuri went to the cupboard and pulled out a leather-clad book, "Here's some information on the eight demon princes. Maybe we'll find the answer."  
"Oh, gee," Yukiko muttered sarcastically, "You _think?_"

Hoshi chuckled as the brown-skinned woman flipped through the book. Finally, she brightened, "Here we go! Azazel, the King of Spirits."

Hoshi and Yukiko looked over her shoulder as she read, "'Azazel is the fifth son born from Satan. He is the son of Jenevere, the Goddess of Spirit. He is in charge of collecting spirits of the recently-deceased and judging them in Gehenna.

If he judges a spirit as heroic, good, or deserving of rewards, he sends them to Elysium, the place of eternal paradise. If a soul is judged as 'neutral', or one who has not leaned too much towards good or evil, Azazel sends the spirit to the Field of Asphodel, where they forget their past lives after drinking from the river Lethe. If Azazel judges a soul to be evil or wrong-doing, the soul is sent to the Fields of Punishment, where it is fated to a punishment fitting to its sins in life. For example, if a person brutally murdered many people, he/she is fated to spend the rest of eternity dying the same way each day.

Azazel also has the responsibility towards people who die prematurely; in that case, he can give the soul a new body, turn it into a plant or flower, or make it reside in Gehenna as a demon. Azazel is a very calm being who does not believe in violence, and he will give each soul precisely what he/she deserves.

His offspring often have similar abilities to his; they cannot die before their time, and 6 out of 10 have an incredibly rapid regeneration. With sufficient training, they can release spirits, see ghosts, and even bring souls back to life through necromancy.'"

"Cute." Yukiko shuddered, "I read about necromancy. You know how they do it? They shove the ghost right back in its rotting cadaver. It's repulsive."  
"Sounds like it." Kuri closed the book. It spat up a cloud of dust, making the trio cough.

"Nice father," Yukiko shook her head as she looked at Frank's heavily-bandaged body, "He's had the chance to claim Frank all his life, and yet he chose to do it with his son at death's door." She hugged herself, "Where did Amaimon get his good qualities? Certainly not from _him_."

Kuri could tell the cinnamon-blonde was getting angry. She quickly changed the subject, "Anyway, we found him. He's all bandaged-up, and I gave him three painkillers. I think the regeneration part's right."  
"Are you high?" Hoshi asked, "Look at him! He looks like a _Saw_ film victim!"

"Not really. The differences are small, but look." Kuri walked towards Frank and gently pulled the hospital gown. Hoshi and Yukiko watched with wide eyes as the deep cuts on his torso and chest started boiling. Then, the skin formed, good as new.

"Holy crap." Hoshi murmured, "He's a walking hot tub."

Yukiko and Kuri shared an eye-roll before Yukiko spoke, "We have to tell Mephisto the truth. If we don't get rid of Jane, we're all as good as dead!"

"Let's just hope Clown Faggot listens," Hoshi said, "We'd better go now, then. He might get another spa appointment." With that, she walked out of the nurse's office. Kuri started to follow, but Yukiko grabbed her wrist, "Kuri...wait."  
"Yeah?" The brown-skinned woman frowned. Yukiko shoved her hands in her oversize jeans' pockets and studied her sneakers, "I just wanted to say...I'm sorry I screamed at you. Back in England."

"Oh, you don't have to apologize!" Kuri rubbed Yukiko's arm, "You were right. I was an easy target. If I'd been better at defending myself, you and Hoshi wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"No." Yukiko shook her head, "You have no experience in combat. You'd never fought before. How could've you acted differently? You were right; I _was_ angry at myself and I took it out on you."

"But why were you mad at yourself?"

"Because..." Yukiko's voice cracked, and tears splattered on the tiles, "Because I couldn't protect her." She looked up at Kuri with watering eyes, "Hoshi's the only family I have left. If I lose her, I'll kill myself!"  
"Oh, Yuki..." Kuri wrapped her arms around the teenager, who immediately responded. Kuri stroked Yukiko's short hair, "It's okay, Yuki. It's okay."

"It's not!" Yukiko cried, "I couldn't keep her safe!"

"It's not your job to keep any harm away from her." Kuri pulled away and gripped the girl's shoulders, "Yukiko, listen to me. Hoshi's a tough girl. She's strong, defensive, and skilled in combat. She can take care of herself, and even if she _does _gets hurt, it's not because you couldn't keep her safe. It's because it's life. Everyone's bound to get hurt sooner or later. It helps make us stronger. And besides," She wiped Yukiko's cheeks, "You can't go on suffering like this. You can't keep killing yourself trying to keep everyone around you safe from harm."

"But I have to!" Yukiko cried, "I couldn't protect my own father! How can I _not_ try to protect my friends?"

Kuri looked at the teenager for a long moment. Then, she said, "Yukiko, I want you to promise me not to be so self-sacrificing anymore."  
"No." Yukiko shook her head, "You can't ask that of me."  
"Have you ever thought about how the people around you feel when you do that?" Kuri asked, arching a brow, "I for one felt horrible and worthless. Please, if not for yourself, for others. Promise me."

Yukiko's expression was unreadable. After a few painful, silent seconds, she caved and nodded, "I promise."

* * *

Mephisto was laughing so loudly, the girls thought he'd need an inhaler.

Yukiko blinked. Then, she leaned towards Hoshi and whispered sarcastically, "I get the feeling he doesn't believe us."  
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Hoshi responded with equal acrimony.

When Mephisto finally calmed down, Kuri said, "Sir, please. We really think Jane's a spy."

"Why? Because she was the sole survivor of a hellhound attack?" Mephisto arched a purple brow, "Please. I'll admit, she is somewhat suspicious, but Salual himself suggested I hire her. If he trusts her, so do I. Besides, she's working on something of vital importance."

"What? A straightjacket for you?" Hoshi asked mockingly. Mephisto smirked, "No. A data chip with all the secret info she managed to find on DG. Including where the headquarters are."  
"Oh, please!" Yukiko exploded, "Do you really think she's here to help us? She's trying to kill us all! Once Frank regains consciousness, I'll bet my liver that he'll tell you that she left him, Harper, and Lauren to rot in the swamp like filth! And if you can't see it, you're every bit as foolish as I thought you were!"

"Enough!" Mephisto rose, "You want to convince me? Fine. Bring me proof. Genuine evidence! Then, I'll send her packing! But until I see with my own eyes that she is a traitor, Jane Greene is staying here. Oh, I'd be careful if I were you, Bundō. My pesky little brother may have a soft spot for you, but I do not. Insult me again, and you and Hoshi will be the ones leaving." He waved his hand, "You're dismissed."

Kuri sighed and relented, leaving the office. Yukiko was stiff as plywood. Hoshi gently took her arm, "Come on, hon."

With that, they left the room.


	17. Chapter 13: Fire

**PLEASE review!  
**

* * *

Chapter 13: Fire

Amaimon sat on the roof, looking at the malachite locket around his neck. He'd kept it for quite a while now; inside was a picture of Yukiko sleeping, along with a lock of her hair. In the photo, she was lying on her side hugging a second pillow, and her short, curly hair spread out on the pillow like gold in the dark. He'd taken it with Aniue's priceless digital camera on the night of the meeting with the exorcists. As for the hair, he'd sliced off just a lock that same night.

He couldn't explain why he chose to do such a thing. Maybe it was because every time he wasn't with Yukiko, he felt like he was missing an arm or a leg. Or maybe it was because seeing her, especially in such a vulnerable state, made Amaimon that much more determined to fight for her.

He'd been pondering on a thought for a while now, but now, as he gently stroked Yukiko's softer-than-silk lock, he made his decision.

Amaimon rose and snapped his fingers. Behemoth appeared on the ground before his boots, roaring and gurgling. "Hello, Behemoth." The Earth King knelt down and softly scratched his familiar's chin. The hobgoblin purred and leaned towards its master's touch. Amaimon smiled and stood up, pulling out some dried bacon. At the sight of the treat, Behemoth emitted wet barks. The green-haired boy rolled his green-blue eyes and tossed a handful at his familiar. Behemoth caught it all, chewing and swallowing in less than a minute.

"Keep that up and you'll get a stomachache." Amaimon scolded, "Now, I need you to do something for me."  
Behemoth tilted its head.

"I want you to find, collect, and retrieve a pound of green jasper stones. I know a pound seems like a lot, but in this case, it's better to have too much than too little." Amaimon instructed, "Now, go. And be back here before twilight."

Behemoth nodded and flew off. Amaimon watched his familiar soar into the late afternoon sky with a small smile. He could only hope Yukiko was pleased of what he would give her.

* * *

"Well, Jane? How is the data chip coming along?" Heather asked that night at the dinner banquet. Jane chuckled, "It's finished, actually."  
Heather's jade eyes glimmered, "No way! Can I see?"  
"Of course." Jane reached in her silk purse and plucked out what looked like a USB. "Be careful, now." She warned, "I spent a lot of time on this. I don't want it to get dunked it gravy."

Heather chuckled, "Don't worry. I'll be cautious."

As she examined it, Hoshi nudged her sister, "Do you really think that's a chip?"  
"I don't see how it could be anything else." Yukiko said, taking a bite from her spring roll, "I don't like it, but there's a 35% chance that this chip is genuine."  
"What do you say then, sis? Wanna give it a test run?" Hoshi asked, biting into her chicken leg.

"Yes." Yukiko nodded, "We'll sneak in Jane's room after dinner, take the chip, and I'll try it on my computer." Her voice grew bitter, "Maybe then Mephisto will finally have the 'evidence' he wants."

"Um...Yukiko?"

The girls turned around to see Amaimon standing there in a dark green suit. The pale boy looked so attractive, Yukiko had to concentrate on not touching him. He gave Hoshi a nod, but his eyes were set on the cinnamon-blonde.

Yukiko fought hard to keep her face its normal color and hugged the Earth King, "Hey. Where have you been all day?"

"Meh," Amaimon shrugged, holding her just a minute longer than necessary, "I was on the roof all day."

Yukiko's eyes widened in concern, "What? Today was a little windy. You _did_ cover up, didn't you?" She hated sounding like such a pest, but she couldn't relax if Amaimon got sick.

"Yes, yes." Amaimon tucked some hair behind Yukiko's ear, "Everything is fine, Yuki. Don't worry." Now, Yukiko was sure her face was scarlet.

"Uh," Amaimon looked at his boots, suddenly nervous, "I don't suppose I could...borrow you after dinner. Could I?"

"I don't know-"  
"Of course you can." Hoshi spoke over her sister, putting her hands on Yukiko's shoulder. When the cinnamon-blonde shot her a questioning look, Hoshi said, "Don't worry, sis. I'll ask Kuri to help me out. I'll just make sure the chip doesn't explode or set her hair on fire or anything."

The trio chuckled at that, then continued to eat their dinner.

* * *

Once everyone had eaten to the point of bursting, Amaimon took Yukiko's hand and brought her to the courtyard. He snapped his fingers softly to keep the girl from hearing. Immediately, everything came to life around them. Flowers bloomed, the wilting leaves returned to their original, bright green state, and the hard, dry dirt under their feet softened. To both their surprise, fireflies filled the air. One landed on Yukiko's chest, glowed, then buzzed off.

"Oh my..." The girl put her hand on her mouth, "Amai, this..." She looked at him, "I don't know what to say."

"There's no need to." Amaimon slipped his hand in his pocket to make sure the ring he'd crafted was still there. He was about to speak when Yukiko squeaked with joy. He'd never heard her sound so...girly before. The Earth King looked at the girl with an arched green brow, but Yukiko's gaze was fixed on the night sky. "Look!" She gripped his arm so tightly Amaimon was sure it turned purple. She pointed to the sky, "Look, a shooting star!" The Earth King followed her gaze. Indeed, a bright white ball was soaring across the black sky, leaving a silvery trail.

"Quick, make a wish!" Yukiko squeezed her eyes shut, and her lips moved silently. Amaimon was a bit puzzled by this; he'd never heard of this before. To be honest, before tonight, he'd thought shooting stars were the stuff of legends. He'd never seen one in his life. Then again, he'd spent most of his life in Gehenna; there were no stars there. The green-haired boy closed his eyes, and his hand found Yukiko's.

_I wish Yukiko would become my wife._

Yukiko opened her eyes, though they were a bit teary now. Amaimon felt a sense of alarm fill his gut. He was quick to wipe her eyes, "W-what is it?"  
"Nothing, nothing." Yukiko wiped her eyes, managing a small smile, "Just...wishful thinking, I guess."

"Can I know?" Amaimon asked, his eyes wide with innocence. Yukiko smiled a little and tightened her grip on his hand, "Might as well. Normally, you're not supposed to say what you wish for. Otherwise, it doesn't come true. But in this case, I'm not sure it's a very realistic wish." She took a deep breath, "I wished that, even if I fail, my friends stay safe."

Amaimon blinked, "That sounds realistic to me."

"Please," Yukiko shook her head, "Anything could happen. There's no telling what might or might not happen."

Amaimon felt a question bubble in his mouth. He couldn't help ask, "Why do you care so much? I mean, I know it's good to care. But you seem so..." He looked for the right phrase, chewing on his thumbnail, "..._Needing_ to keep everyone safe."

Yukiko chuckled under her breath. Talk about déjà vu. She spoke, "Kuri really made me think about that. I guess..." She put a hand on her heart, refusing to look at him, "I feel so guilty about not helping my father that night, I try to redeem myself by keeping my friends alive." She cried softly, "I know, it's stupid."  
Amaimon didn't say anything, but seeing her cry like this pained him worse than a rusty blade in his chest. He didn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around her. Yukiko responded, even though she was scolding herself in her mind. In one day, she'd needed someone's comfort twice. How could she be so weak? Why couldn't she be strong? She hated this feeling. But at the same time, it warmed her heart to know that she had people to pick her up when she was down.

She squeezed him tightly, "Thanks, Amai. You're an amazing friend." Her skin crawled at the word 'friend', but she decided it was better be safe than sorry. Amaimon flinched slightly, but he ran his hand up and down her back before pulling away.

"About that..." He reached for the ring in his pocket, "Yukiko, I..."

"YUKIKO! AMAIMON!" Kuri blared, running into the garden, "Come along, please!"

"Why? What's happened?" Yukiko's eyes widened.

"Someone set the clinic on fire!" Kuri was hysterical, "We're trying to put it out, but it won't go out! Please, help!" Without waiting for a response, she ran back towards the school. Amaimon's jaw tightened. Without another word, he scooped Yukiko in his arms and raced after the brown-skinned woman.


	18. Chapter 14: Prisoner

**PLEASE review!  
**

* * *

Chapter 14: Prisoner

By the time the trio arrived, the clinic was engulfed in fire. Everyone was wearing masks and dumping water on the flames by the bucketful, to no avail. Hoshi and Theo were trying to absorb the fire, and even though they were doing an okay job, the job was far from completed. Even the sprinklers implanted in the ceiling wasn't any use. Yukiko coughed and quickly pushed Amaimon behind her. She turned to Kuri, "How did this happen?"

"I have no idea." Kuri replied as she and Salual pulled out the emergency hose, "Hoshi and I were checking the data chip, and it was real. But before we could get into the information, we smelled smoke. Then, the fire alarm went off."

Amaimon helped Kuri with the hose. The flames died a bit, but more kept appearing. After two minutes, the Earth King turned to the African-American, "It's futile! These are not Father's flames, but they're enchanted. No amount of water will put them out."

"Wait a minute." Yukiko's eyes were wide as saucers, "Where's Jane?"

Amaimon's pointed ear twitched. He turned towards the hall they'd come, "There!" Both girls turned to see a figure bolt to the left. Yukiko's eyes narrowed, and she kicked off her shoes. She clasped Amaimon's hand and turned to Kuri, "Amai and I will get her. You go through your books and find a spell. Hell, use a half-demon if you have to! We'll be back as soon as we can!"  
"Okay! Now go!" Kuri yelled to be heard over the roaring flames.

"We'll be faster if I carry you," Amaimon crouched down, "Hop on."

Normally, Yukiko despised piggyback rides (especially after Hoshi accidentally dropped her when they were twelve), but this was an emergency. The cinnamon-blonde leaped on the demon's back. A second later, she was holding on so tightly, she was afraid she would choke him. Amaimon dashed so incredibly quickly, the walls and floors melted like fondue. Amaimon yelled, "Hold on!"  
"Easy for you to say!" Yukiko slapped her hand over her mouth.

"Here!" Amaimon skidded to a stop. The girl slid off his back, opened the first window, and vomited her dinner. Amaimon blinked, "Didn't I tell you to close your eyes?"  
Yukiko managed to shake her head as she wiped her mouth.

"Oh." Amaimon blushed with embarrassment, "I apologize." He straightened and pointed to the door in front of them, "Jane entered the gym."

"WHAT?" Yukiko forgot all about being nauseous and flew inside. Amaimon whistled, "What a woman." Then, he rushed after her.

"You...oozing sore of depravity!" Yukiko screeched, her hands balled into fists, "That fire was your doing! Even a child could see that!"  
Jane snorted, edging closer to the door. She clapped mockingly, "Congratulations, blondie. You figured it out. Too bad you're far too late."  
Behind her, the planks on the floor broke free and slammed over the door. In a matter of seconds, the door was completely sealed. Amaimon stepped forward, cracking his neck. "No time like the present, Aniue always says," He said, "Also as he always says: let the games begin."

"With pleasure." Jane pulled out a gun, "I've been killing demon filth like you my entire career. It'll be easy."

_BANG!_

Amaimon dodged the bullet by simply stepping aside. He yawned, "You know, for the murderer of two of our finest agents, I would've expected better."

The Earth King's normally calm face morphed in rage. "Don't underestimate me, you bitch!" He stomped his foot, making the earth shake uncontrollably. Jane and Yukiko wavered, but the woman ran towards the next exit. Yukiko slid in front of the doors, "You think I'd let you escape?"  
"No. You're a fighter." Jane grinned and aimed the gun for Yukiko's face, "That's what I like about you."

_BANG!_

Yukiko ducked. The bullet hit the door. The cinnamon-blonde growled at her, then turned to the surveillance camera in the corner, "Mephy! We're here! We're _here!_ In the gym!"

Amaimon tackled Jane from behind. The two crumbled to the ground, and in minutes, they were fighting furiously. Jane tried to shoot him in the temple, but Amaimon grabbed the gun with his mouth and shattered it in a thousand pieces with his teeth. For a human, Jane was remarkably strong and fast. Amaimon managed to hold her down and punch her, but she wriggled out of his grasp and kicked him in the jaw. The Earth King toppled off her, but he was on his feet a second later.

Yukiko desperately looked around for a weapon; finally, she caught sight of a weight. She held it in both hands and neared the fight. She knew she had to be cautious; one wrong hit, and she could knock out Amaimon by mistake. The Earth King snarled and stood, picking Jane by the throat, "You call yourself a fighter? You're pathetic! Nothing but a sniveling lump of meat!"  
"Oh, really?" Jane reached in her pocket and splashed something in Amaimon's face. The Earth King howled in pain and dropped Jane, staggering away. He shielded his eyes with his claws, but the woman had an advantage. She kicked Amaimon to the ground. When he looked again with bloodshot eyes, Jane was holding a (apparently) blessed sword an inch from his throat.

"NO!"

Yukiko tossed the weight at Jane, but missed her face completely. Instead, it nailed her in the kneecaps. The woman screamed in pain and fell to the side. It gave Yukiko the time to throw herself over Amaimon, sheltering him. She yanked the Omega Blade from his belt and held it out dangerously, "Keep your paws off him or I'll slice them off!" She looked like a jaguar protecting its cub from a hyena. Even though she didn't have demon blood, Yukiko was ready to kill.

Jane looked surprised, then annoyed. She shakily rose to her feet and wiped her bleeding lip. She opened her mouth to say something, but familiar fire-whips coiled around her and lifted her in the air. Yukiko and Amaimon turned to see Hoshi, Theo, and Mephisto standing in the entrance Amaimon had blocked. Burning chunks of wood were scattered on the floor.  
"Excellent work, Hoshi." Mephisto purred, taking a sip from his tea. He eyed Jane distastefully before saying, "I must say, I'm disappointed, Miss Greene. You proved to be an invaluable member of this organization." He shrugged, "Oh, well." He turned to Hoshi, "Please take her to the exorcists."

Theo pouted, "Can't I torture her first?"  
"No."  
"Just a little bit?"  
"No." Mephisto said firmly, "And that's final." As Hoshi took a step towards the door, Jane yelled, "Wait!"

"Don't push your luck." The Japanese girl snarled.

"L-let me at least get my contact lenses first!" Jane said, "Then, I'll do whatever you want!"

Theo grinned, and his hands rested on the zipper of his pants, "Well..."

"NO, THEO." This time, Hoshi snapped at her half-brother.

Yukiko, who'd helped Amaimon to his feet and was helping him stand, spoke up, "Wait a minute. We still don't know how big a role she had in this. Let's interrogate her first. Then, we'll put her out of her misery."  
Hoshi grinned, "I like that notion."  
Mephisto pondered over the thought, then nodded, "Very well." He turned to Jane, "You can get your contacts, but you have 10 minutes. If you're not back by then, I'll send Theo to come get you. After the interrogation, I think we'll invite Azazel to decide your fate. He is the fairest judge, after all."

Jane nodded, "Alright."

Yukiko looked ready to scratch her face off. Instead, she took a deep, calming breath and turned to Amaimon. She gently stroked the angry red spots that had begun to appear on his face. "Are you okay? What did she throw at you?"  
"In order," Amaimon managed a tired smile, "I am now. Thanks to you."

Yukiko blushed, then held him closer.

"As for your second question: holy water." Amaimon snickered, "I'm not one of God's creations, so of course all things holy harm me."  
"I don't agree."  
Amaimon looked at the girl like she was off her rocker.

"You can't be completely evil." Yukiko smiled a little, "If you were, neither of us would be here right now."


	19. Chapter 15: Broken

**PLEASE review! This scene, as well as the next chapter or so, is inspired by 'Deadman Wonderland'.  
**

* * *

Chapter 15: Breaking

"So, did she talk, or was it as useless as I thought?" Hoshi asked Shura an hour later. The young woman sighed and retied her long hair, "Don't know what ta tell ya, Fire Girl. Greene said _she's_ da mastermind o' DG, an' she killed Lauren an' Harper ta give 'er lil' operation time ta move. Now, der long gone. But da chip was freakin' real. We 'ad some techie guys look at it b'fore she went fer 'er lenses."

"But why?" Hoshi asked, "Why would Jane knowingly slaughter so many people? What is she hoping to accomplish?"

"She won't answer dat one." Shura rolled her violet eyes, like even _she_ couldn't believe it, "We asked her twice, but it was like talkin' to a tractor."

"Well," Hoshi sighed, "At least we have the chip, right?"

"Yep." Shura cracked a smile, "Dat's about da only t'ing I'm sure 'bout. It has all da info we need ta take down DG."

"Finally," Hoshi rubbed her temples, "Some good news."

Shura chuckled, "You go on, get some sleep. It's been a long night fer ev'rybody."

"Got that right." Hoshi slapped her a high-five on her way out, "Goodnight, Shura."  
"'Night, Hoshi."

Once the Japanese girl was showered and changed in her favorite pajamas (crimson, with yellows stars), she lay on her bed with a sigh. Just as her eyelids got heavy, Yukiko walked in wearing her ridiculously-large robe. Hoshi grinned, "Sis, you were fucking epic tonight."  
"Nah," Yukiko shook her head as she pulled out a sketchpad, "I just did what had to be done. Nothing else."

"Brave, busty, _and_ humble," Hoshi fanned herself with her red-manicured hand, "Look out, Earth King!"

Yukiko snorted and threw the closest pencil-case at her sister's head, missing by a few centimeters.

* * *

"Salual, what did you manage to find?" Mephisto asked the next morning.

"I didn't look through the chip," Salual explained, "But my men managed to find the DG headquarters just on the Japanese coast. They'd been residing in an abandoned building. You'll be pleased to know that 50 of my men overran the place. We found 20 children, whom we interrogated." His face darkened, "I'm sad to say that there were originally 45 children."

Mephisto paled. He hid it by taking a sip of boiling-hot tea. "And? Did they confirm that Jane Greene is the DG leader?"  
"Yes." Salual nodded, "She left someone else in charge while she tried to send us on a wild goose chase."

"Well, her plan went well." Mephisto remarked sarcastically before getting serious, "She butchered my own flesh and blood. For that, I want her to be punished. She will be executed two days from today, and I'll watch."

Salual frowned, "Sorry, sir. But why in two days?"

"Because tomorrow is the world premiere of _Eclipse_." Mephisto cracked a smile, "And I've been dying to find out if Edward turns Bella into a vampire or not."

Salual wasn't sure whether to bang his head against the wall or laugh.

Suddenly, his shirt pocket vibrated and started playing 'When The Saints Go Marching In'. Mephisto arched a brow as the dark-skinned man blushed and plucked out a Blackberry. He held it to his ear, "Hello?"  
His face broke in a pleased smile, "Aw, hi Kuri!"

He paused, then, "Yes, everything's fine. Jane's up for execution the day after tomorrow."

Another pause. Then, "I'll tell you why later." Then, "Okay, good idea. Be sure to lock it up."

He smiled, "Okay, bye. Love you." He hung up, then looked at Mephisto, "That was my sister-"  
"Clearly."  
"-And she said she and Hoshi are locking up the data chip in the safe. That way, in case of a theft, it won't be stolen; nor will we risk losing it."

"Excellent." Mephisto smiled, "With the chip in our possession, nothing can go wrong." He chuckled, "If there is a God, the DG organization better make peace with Him. They'll be seeing Him sooner than they expected."

* * *

"Here we go," Hoshi was grinning from ear to ear, "The safe."

"Considering it's Mephisto's," Kuri rolled her eyes as she slipped the data chip in a plastic bag, "I'm not surprised it's pink."  
Indeed, the astronomic safe in front of them was a hot pink color, with microscopic white dots. Besides the guards and Heather, the two girls were alone. Somehow, that disappointed Kuri. She'd been hoping to make a speech on how they had vanquished a great evil and were on the verge of making the world a better place for half-demons everywhere.

Heather smiled softly and gently took the bag from Kuri. She held it out to Hoshi, "You can have the honors, Tanaka. You're the only half-demon here, and you had an up-close-and-personal experience with these monsters." She giggled, "Funny, isn't it? These people think they're killing monsters, but they're the real beasts."

"Couldn't agree more." Hoshi took the bag from Heather and turned to the safe.

"HOSHI!" Yukiko burst in the room, her chocolate-brown eyes wild and her short hair flying everywhere. She scanned the room until her eyes settled on her sister. She pointed to the plastic bag in Hoshi's hands, "Is that the data chip?"  
"Yeah," Hoshi frowned, "Why-"

Yukiko seized the bag and bolted out of the room. "Sis!" Hoshi ran after the cinnamon-blonde, Kuri and Heather in close pursuit. They chased Yukiko until they reached the kitchen. Yukiko ambled to the oven and threw the bag, chip and all, inside. She slammed the door shut, her eyes frantic. An explosion rumbled through the air, accompanied by angry puffs of black smoke.

Kuri, Heather, and Hoshi watched with wide, horrified eyes as Yukiko stood there with her back to the oven door. She panted for a second before looking at her friends with a smile, "Guys...are you okay?"  
Heather could barely get her voice working. Then, she croaked, "The...the chip...what have you done?"

Kuri turned around, rubbing her temples, "Yuki...that chip was our ticket to beating them. Demonic Genesis. It had everything from the locations of the remaining clinics to the list of half-demons in need of retrieving."

"You don't understand!" Yukiko shook her head furiously, "That chip would've been the end of us all!"

Hoshi felt like someone had slammed a hammer in between her eyes. Yukiko's words jumbled up her words like spaghetti. The Japanese girl had always admired her sister for her quick wits and intelligence, but now, she was wondering if that was a mask to hide a maniac.  
Her anger, frustration, and confusion came out in one yell, "Are you fucking out of your mind? We had our chance of beating those fuckers and you blew it!"  
"You don't understand!" Yukiko repeated, "That chip was dangerous!"

"...SHUT UP!" Hoshi roughly grabbed her sister's shoulders, "Do you have any idea how important that thing was?"

Yukiko shoved Hoshi away, "Who cares? I don't care about all that stuff!"

Hoshi growled, and her hand clenched into a fist.

"I only care about yo-"

Hoshi slapped Yukiko as hard as she could, cutting her off completely. As the cinnamon-blonde's cheek turned an angry red, a gasp escaped her. She fell on her knees, her eyes wide with disbelief. Yukiko looked up to see Hoshi still trembling with rage, "God dammit..." She screamed in Yukiko's face, "**_I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!_**"

A single tear slid down Yukiko's cheek, Kuri, Hoshi, and Heather left the room.


	20. Chapter 16: Blown Away

**PLEASE review! This scene, as well as the next chapter or so, is inspired by 'Deadman Wonderland'. For those of you who don't know what 'baka' means, it's Japanese for 'fool'.  
**

* * *

Chapter 16: Blown Away

"Yer kiddin', right?" Shura asked an hour later, her violet eyes wide with disbelief. Kuri and Heather shook their heads; Hoshi just leaned against the wall, her arms folded.

Shura yelled in exasperation and punched the wall, making a dent the size of a grapefruit. "Just freakin' perfect!" She yelled, "How da hell're we gonna crush DG wit'out dat chip?"  
"I honestly don't know what to tell you, Miss Kirigakure." Heather said sadly, "I never expected anyone to pull a stunt like this, especially, that girl."

"She's a _baka_," Hoshi muttered angrily, flicking a black, orange-tipped lock from her eyes, "Every bit as much as that spinach-headed boy she's shaming herself with." Her fingernails dug in her sleeves, "I never should've encouraged her to hang out with him. He just brainwashed her-"

"Enough." Shura said in a calm yet firm voice, "Da chip's cooked like a carrot. No point ponderin' on what could've been." She shrugged, "I guess we're just gonna hafta do it da ol' fashioned way."  
Kuri blinked, "We're gonna typewrite?"

Hoshi rolled her eyes as Shura said, "No. We're gonna hound Jane down 'til she makes anotha' one. She did it once, she'll do it again. Da only challenge is gettin' Mephisto ta delay da execution."  
"That seems easy, not to be disagreeable," Heather said, "Salual told me Mephisto's delaying it in the first place because he wants to attend the world premiere of _Eclipse_."

"Though I can't understand why," Hoshi scowled, "The plot's close to non-existent."

The door creaked open, making the four women turn around. Jane stood in the doorway, her hands chained together and her expression Arctic-cold.

"Ah, _prisoner_," Shura lingered on the word _way_longer than necessary, "We got an assignment for ya. Ya gotta make anotha'-"

Jane slammed her joined hands in the wall, making a loud slamming noise. That caught everyone off guard. Jane's expression didn't falter as she hissed, "Who was it?"

She slammed her fists against the wall with each word:

"WHO-"

**_SLAM!_**

"WRECKED-"

**_SLAM!_**

"MY-"

**_SLAM!_**

"PLAN?"

The four women shot each other confused, questioning looks. Jane slammed her bloody fists against the wall once last time, "Which one of you dipshits figured out that the data chip was a bomb?"

Kuri frowned, "What're you talking about, Greene? My brother was with you when you made the chip. He saw you put it together piece by piece. Hoshi and I tested it; it was real."  
"Huh?" Now, it was Jane's turn to look confused, "You mean you didn't know?" She stepped forward, her eyes glinting with anger and confusion, "Did you really think I wanted to get my contacts? I switched them! The chip you guys saw was one with fake info. When I was allowed to go to my room, I switched them. The one you were given this morning was just a fucking mini time-bomb!"

The women froze, shocked and horrified. They'd been at death's door without even knowing it. They'd been stupid to trust Jane with giving them information, but what other choice did they have at the time? Still, the four couldn't have felt more foolish.

"You didn't even know, and yet you're still alive." Jane snorted, "What did you imbeciles do? Get rid of the damn thing by accident?"

Hoshi felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. The images flashed in her mind's eye. In less than a minute, the events rolled in front of her; she saw Yukiko grabbing the bag, running in the kitchen, and throwing it in the oven. No wonder it had caused an explosion. Hoshi hadn't even noticed it at first, but now she understood.

Yukiko had saved their lives.

Jane's expression went from annoyed to manic. "Well," She cracked her neck, "Since you're still alive, I might as well use it to my advantage." She leaned against the door, closing it. Never looking away from them, she locked it.  
Shura sprung into action, as did Hoshi. The redhead got into a karate position, while Hoshi's fire-whips were as bright as lanterns.

"Greene, you-!"

Four guards came barging in. For a second, the women thought they were as good as saved, but then, one grabbed Heather by the long black hair. The other grabbed Kuri's arms and locked them behind her. Hoshi growled and swung one whip at the third guard, but he threw some liquid in her face. The Japanese girl screeched in pain and crumbled to her knees, clutching at her throat and face. Whatever had made contact with her skin, it burned like acid. The guard grabbed her by the hair with one hand, the other coiling around her neck.

"Holy water works, even if you have half human DNA." The guard whispered in her ear, "You can't deny what you are, monster."  
Hoshi struggled against his grip, but it was like moving in lead.

"Guys! Mephisto trusted you! What the hell?" Kuri demanded.

"Trust?" Jane laughed so hard, her eyes watered, "Trust is nothing, sweetheart. You won't go far with just that. But money..." She grinned, "What _won't_ people do for money?"

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay, Yuki?" Amaimon asked as the cinnamon-blonde snatched the candy dish from him. She nodded a bit too quickly and crammed two fistfuls of sweets in her mouth. She swallowed them at a shocking speed, "Of course! Forget Hoshi! I have everything I want..." She scooted closer to the Earth King, making both of them blush, "...Right here."

She bit into a cookie, making a delighted noise. But by the second bite, the biscuit was warmer, wetter, and saltier. Yukiko let the whimpers and cries escape her throat as she hid her face in her hands. Amaimon hugged her to his chest, stroking her silky hair. Being this close to her, smelling the peonies of her shampoo and the sugar from her breath, Amaimon felt his heart do a little flutter. Suddenly, the ring in his pants' pocket seemed heavier than a moment before.

He took a deep breath, "Yuki..."

The television sitting in front of Yukiko's bed blinked and buzzed with life. The duo watched with small frowns as static escaped the machine. After a minute, Jane's leering face appeared on the screen. The two pulled away from each other; Yukiko's hands balled into fists, "**_Her_**."

"What's up, Mephisto Pheles?" Jane grinned, "And whoever else is watching this. I just wanted to let you guys know that DG isn't going down without a fight. We won't let monsters roam the streets. Which is why I've got a bargain for you." The camera went from her to Heather,Kuri, Shura, and Hoshi, who were pinned on the ground by guards. If Yukiko had been angry with Hoshi at all, it evaporated when she saw her beloved sister grunt and struggle against the guard. The man simply snickered and held more holy water close to her face. Hoshi shrank as far away from it as she could, and Yukiko could see her skin of her red throat peeling already.

"If you let me and my followers go, I'll allow these girls to see the light of day again. But if not..." Jane snapped her fingers, and Shura's guard held up the redhead's sword. The guard slowly dragged the tip down Shura's stomach, staining her shorts crimson. Shura didn't even yelp; she kept a solidly blank expression throughout the whole thing.

"You guys have exactly an hour to decide. If I don't have a response by then, these four will meet the same fate as those two spies. You know, the ones currently rotting in the swamp?" Jane cackled. Yukiko and Amaimon's wrath made the wall splinter in ten different places.

"And...goodnight, Tokyo! We love you!"

The TV switched off.

"Hoshi!" Yukiko bolted off the bed and raced towards the exit. When she heard Amaimon follow her, she whirled around, meeting two huge green-blue eyes. She said in the firmest voice she could muster, "Amai, you go get Mephisto. I'll buy you some time."

Amaimon exploded, "What? I'm not letting you face that lunatic alone!"

"Amaimon!" Yukiko cupped his pale face in her hands, "Just trust me!" With that, she slammed her lips over his. The Earth King responded hungrily, tangling his claws in her hair. After a few seconds, Yukiko pulled away, panting and red in the face, "Now, go."

Amaimon squeezed her hand, "Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I know you will."

With that, they ran in opposite hallways.


	21. Chapter 17: Bonds

**PLEASE review! This scene is inspired by 'Deadman Wonderland'.  
**

* * *

Chapter 17: Bonds

"Get the fuck off me!" Hoshi shrieked, trying desperately to break free. The guard only pressed the bottle of holy water against her cheek. Even through the thin layer of plastic, the water was like boiling acid. Shura refused to show any emotion, though her cheeks flushed as her guard fondled her breasts. Jane paced back and forth like a caged tiger, though with her chained wrists, it looked a bit pathetic. She glanced at the clock. Ten minutes had passed since her broadcast, and no one had shown up.

Maybe she'd overestimated things; maybe Mephisto didn't care about these women. No surprise, really. Mephisto was, after all, only a demon. His concerns (if he had any) revolved around money and fashion. He couldn't care less about the people who worked under him.  
Jane sighed, then turned to the guards, "Nobody's showing up. Have fun."

"Alright!" Shura's guard threw her on the ground and proceeded to yank her shorts down. The redhead kicked and squirmed, but with her arms restrained, she was like a fish out of water.

"NO!"

Everyone turned to the doorway. The door had been forced open, and standing in the room was Yukiko. Her face was red from the run, and her short, curly hair was sticking in every direction. Hoshi felt a surge of relief and guilt fill her gut. Jane looked surprised for a moment, then adopted a smug look, "So, the demon's sent the scarred little girl to do his dirty work. Now, that's a new kind of low."

"Shut up!" Yukiko tried to sound bolt, but her hands instinctively went to her baggy sleeves. Jane laughed, "So, you decided to come against a great evil, showing up like a heroine for these poor damsels in distress. Pathetic."

"I'll show you pathetic!" Yukiko stomped her foot as hard as she could, wincing as old wounds threatened to re-open.

The ground shivered violently. The guards definitely weren't expecting it; they let go of their hostages. "Go, get outta here!" Yukiko screamed, her eyes darting to the cabinets shaking. Kuri turned to the cinnamon-blonde worriedly, but Yukiko gave her a curt nod. The African-American didn't seem to agree, but she still grabbed Heather's wrist and practically dragged her out of the room. Just as Yukiko had predicted, the cabinets crashed down one by one. One even knocked out a guard.

The other three were starting to look uncomfortable. As they narrowed avoided being hit by a chunk of the ceiling, the guards shared a look. Then, the man who'd restrained Heather yelled, "We're outta here!"  
"What? No! I paid you!" Jane screeched from the wall.

"You paid us to grab three hot little bitches," One guard retorted as the other two fled, "You never said anything about fighting." On that note, he ran off. Hoshi shakily rose to her feet and locked eyes with Yukiko. The cinnamon-blonde was sure she would burst out crying at her sister's injuries and fear-stricken face. As tears streamed down her face, Yukiko screamed Hoshi's name and ran towards her.

She was stopped halfway when a huge piece of concrete crashed on her, pinning her to the ground. The earth stopped shaking, but no matter how much Yukiko struggled, she couldn't move. It was like being held down by the Iron Giant. Luckily, though, she didn't feel any major pain. Nothing was broken. Hoshi carefully crept behind Jane, her hands clenching and un-clenching.

When Yukiko looked up, her relief got up and left. Jane stood over her, a look of absolute hatred plastered on her thin face. "Demon-lovers disgust me even more than demons, and that's saying a lot." Jane spat at Yukiko, just barely missing her fingers. "At least the demons do what comes naturally. But your kind," She snarled, "You're demented."

Despite the small sliver of panic that had formed in Yukiko's chest, the girl felt hot, boiling wrath form within her. She snickered, "Really? You should think twice before throwing that word around, Greene. I saw what you did to those agents, and it made me sick." Her voice simmered with hatred as her eyes locked with Jane's, "You're _disgusting_. A sad, crude, twisted old woman with a rotten heart."

Jane finally had enough. She brought her fist down. Yukiko squeezed her eyes shut, wincing in anticipation. The sound of skin slamming into skin broke through the silence, but the trapped girl didn't feel a thing. With a small, confused frown, she looked up.

Hoshi was standing in front of her, Jane's fist in her cheek. Jane looked surprised, too. But after a minute, repulsed fury replaced it; she shoved and continued to slug Hoshi, sneering, "Stand aside, demon! This doesn't concern you!" Hoshi refused to budge, but her eyes were watering from the pain.

"W-wh-what're you doing, Hoshi?" Yukiko could barely speak, "This won't undo what happened!"

Hoshi constrained from listening. She made several yelps of pain as Jane continued to pound her mercilessly. Yukiko felt each blow in her heart. It was on the brink of tearing in half. Desperately, she tugged at Hoshi's trouser leg with a trembling hand, "I don't want you trying to save me, Hoshi! Get away-" She stopped as her sister's blood splattered on her face. Horror spread across her face.

Hoshi almost stumbled over, but she quickly repositioned herself in front of Yukiko. Jane was clearly getting impatient; her hits were coming faster and harder. Yukiko begged in a trembling voice, "Hey, come on! I've got some of Amai's power now! It'll keep me from feeling pain!"  
Hoshi tumbled beside her, almost unconscious. Half her face was turning purple and swelling like a melon. "Hoshi!" Yukiko's hand instinctively went to Hoshi's face, wiping at the blood and pushing hair off her forehead. Jane snarled and brought down both her fists. Yukiko gaped, frozen, but Hoshi gently pushed her out of the way. The blow sent her on all fours. Yukiko watched with tear-filled eyes as Jane beat her sister without restraint. Finally, she regained her voice; high-pitched wails escaped her like ghosts.

"No...no! Hoshi, you dimwit! Move! _Move!_"

"Why don't you just move, already?" Jane slugged Hoshi in the stomach, "This isn't your business!"

"Yes...it is!" Hoshi staggered to her feet. Tears filled her dark brown eyes, "You could never understand, Greene. But I've got something wonderful. And it's not some special ability. It's a girl who's saved my ass too many times to count."

Yukiko's eyes widened, and her lips parted.

"I did a horrible thing to her, because I'm a real bitch." Hoshi's fists curled at her sides, "I don't blame here if she never wants to talk to me again. But still...I'm not gonna stoop so low as to let her get pounded after everything she did for me! And so," Hoshi stepped in front of Yukiko, her arms spread out like a traffic person, "_I'll protect my sister until the fucking bitter end!_"

Yukiko stared at her unmoving sister. Someone ready to shield her at any cost. Now, the cinnamon-blonde understood what Kuri had meant before. _This_ was how others felt when she put herself in front of them. It made them feel useless, and unable to help. But most of all, it gave them an awful knowledge that they were causing her pain, even though they hadn't laid a finger on her.

Fresh tears flowed down the girl's cheeks.

Jane was stunned. Whatever she'd been expecting, it hadn't been this. Here was the half-human child of Iblis, the King of Fire, ready to shelter her sister with her own body. The woman stared at the teen with wide eyes, then remembered her motivation. Why she'd started DG to begin with. The fury returned, and it powered her next punch.

_BANG!_

Jane screamed in pain and stumbled backwards. Blood poured from her hands. Hoshi whirled around, prepared for nearly anything.

Mephisto stood at the doorway with Salual, Kuri, and Amaimon. A smoking pink handgun was resting snugly in his extended gloved hand. He grinned wolfishly, "Those girls belong to me. You won't bring any harm upon them. Not now. Not _ever_."


	22. Chapter 18: Jane's Sentence

**PLEASE review! I've been dying for some opinion!  
**

* * *

Chapter 18: Jane's Sentence

"I can't believe it..." Yukiko kept saying as Kuri examined her body, "I just can't believe Hoshi did it."

"Well, she did." Kuri smiled a little, smoothing some ointment on Yukiko's purple thigh, "I don't know her that well yet, but I'm pretty sure she did it for redemption."

"I would've forgiven her anyway." Yukiko said quietly, "How can I stay mad when she's being restrained like an animal?"  
Kuri shook her head as her eyes analyzed Yukiko's stitched leg, "You're really something, you know that?"  
Yukiko said nothing, but she straightened suddenly, like a thought had just come to her. She turned to the African-American, "Kuri?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Why didn't Hoshi fight back? Why'd she just let Jane hit her like a punching bag?"

Kuri frowned, "Shouldn't you be asking her yourself?"

"Normally, I would," Yukiko replied, "But I get the feeling that the holy water affected her."

Kuri nodded in understanding and thought a moment. Finally, she said, "I've never seen it used against a half-demon before. For a demon, holy water is like boiling oil. They can even die with overexposure. But a half-demon, with human skin..." She shrugged, "My theory is: since Hoshi isn't a full demon, she can have more contact with weapons used against demons, though I wouldn't recommend it. And since she wasn't exposed to too much holy water, she just suffered from burns and temporary loss of power."

"Loss of power?" Yukiko repeated, her brow creasing, "That can happen?"

"Oh, yeah. I've seen it." Kuri nodded, "Demons die almost instantly when holy water touches them, but there's a reason why they don't run away or fight back: holy water saps at their energies like leeches."

"That's horrible."Yukiko shuddered, "Apart from being horrified, I wondered why Hoshi didn't just bite Jane's head off."

"She couldn't." Kuri confirmed. The two sat in comfortable silence as Kuri rubbed lotion in Yukiko's bruises. Luckily, the cinnamon-blonde hadn't received any new cuts, so after some bed rest, she'd be good as new.

Their silence was broken by loud yelling and protesting. Both girls frowned and shared looks of confusion before making out a voice, "Your Majesty, she needs rest after-"

_SBAM!_

The door swung open, slamming into wall. Of course, this resulted in flecks of concrete crumbling off. Amaimon looked around frantically. When he met Yukiko's gaze, he raced towards her and embraced her. Yukiko smiled happily and hugged him back, burying her face in his shoulder. "Thank Father..." The Earth King whispered, stroking her hair, "Thank Father! I was out of my mind."

"Clearly." Yukiko agreed, eying the door. Amaimon chuckled and pulled away, gently holding Yukiko's face in his hands. His blue-green gaze was so full of concern and affection, Yukiko felt her cheeks burn. Kuri smiled softly at the couple and prepared to leave them alone.

But she never got the chance. Mephisto strolled in brightly, a concealed basket in his hand and a smile on his pale face, "Hello, hello, hello!"  
Amaimon, still keeping a firm grip on Yukiko, turned to his brother, "Aniue, when's Azazel coming?"

Yukiko's eyebrows shot up, "Azazel, the King of Spirits, is coming _here_?"

"Of course!" Mephisto explained, "I can't bring this case to a _human_ judge! He'd sent me to Bedlam! I brought in a demon judge: the finest demon judge in all of Gehenna!"

Yukiko's eyes gleamed dreamily, "My God...such an honor!"

"Eh," Amaimon shrugged, his hands still clasped in hers, "He spits when he talks."

"What?" Kuri covered her mouth to hide her snort, "I don't believe it."

"It's true." Mephisto's forest-green eyes darted to his immaculate white suit, like he was dreading it being covered in demon saliva. "The trial will take place at midnight and ten minutes. He'll be arriving at midnight: not a minute later."

"Why midnight?" Kuri frowned.

"The Witching Hour." Amaimon prompted.

"Oh."

* * *

Indeed, at a quarter to midnight, Amaimon gently shook Yukiko's shoulder. When she instantly looked up and switched on the light, the Earth King saw that she'd slept in her clothes. Yukiko made sure that Hoshi had everything from painkillers to water before being picked up a blush, the cinnamon-blonde rested her head on his chest, making Amaimon turn the color of a cherry.

"Hold on," He whispered, making Yukiko's skin quiver. She smiled and snuggled closer to him, "No problem."  
The couple was in front of an actual court of law moments later. But something was out of place; Yukiko picked it up instantly. Blue flames could be seen in the windows, and the night air lacked crickets, fireflies, or even warmth. Amaimon frowned when he saw Yukiko rub her arms, "Do you scars hurt?"  
"Huh?" Yukiko shook her head, "No, Amai. Don't worry. I'm just cold."  
At that, the green-haired boy started to shrug off his coat. But Yukiko's hands over his stopped him. She smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Amai. I'm fine. Really."

"If you say so..." Amaimon held his arm out, "Shall we?"

Yukiko chortled and placed her hand on his arm, "You make this seem like a date."

"Well, it kind of is, isn't it?" Amaimon frowned as they walked inside, "A date is when a boy and girl go someplace together."  
"Uh..." Yukiko could clearly tell that the Earth King had looked up the word, and he_ still_ was in the dark. Instead of confusing him farther, she just nodded, "Yes. Yep, absolutely. We're on a date."

Amaimon said nothing, but his toothy smile could've lit up the entire building.

They didn't have to worry about being late: apart from a few silvery, levitating ghosts, the only ones present were Jane (chained to the post) and Mephisto. The purple-haired demon noticed his brother's glowing face and smirked. He patted the bench seat next to him, and Yukiko gladly complied. Amaimon sat right next to her, like he was afraid a ghost was going to steal the spot.

Before too long, Salual and Kuri showed up, as did Frank. Mephisto, though he refused to show it, was relieved that the man was alright. His arm was in a sling and his face looked like it'd been stuck in the oven, but he grinned at Yukiko and sat next to Amaimon.

Finally, the clock struck midnight. The air grew colder then before, if it was possible. Yukiko could see her breath when she exhaled, and her fingers felt like icicles. Amaimon, Mephisto, Frank, and the ghosts seemed unruffled by the cold. Salual pulled out two parkas and handed the red one to Kuri. Yukiko nestled close to Amaimon for warmth, and the Earth King gladly hugged her.

A tower of mist appeared, growing and taking on the shape of a man. After a minute, Azazel himself stepped out. He had scraggly hair the color of pearls, skin as pale as Amaimon's, and different colored eyes: one pale gray, one electric blue. Azazel had the pointed ears, fangs, and claws of Satan's son. His black judge robes contrasted strongly with his pale complexion. When he caught sight of Frank, the pale judge smiled and nodded his head. Then, his face stony, he made his way to the judge's desk.

After a second of silence, he asked, "Is the defendant ready to proceed?"

"Yes, your honor." Salual rose, "I have known Jane Greene several years. She has always been an important addition to my squad. She knew all about technology, computers, and so on. It was thanks to her that most of our missions were completed. I trusted her wholeheartedly, which is why I insisted that she join this cause. But it wasn't until later, when my sister was in danger," Salual's voice trembled slightly, "That I saw Jane for what she really is: a manipulative woman ready to slaughter those who she deems as evil."

Azazel nodded once, his face void of emotion. Then, he turned to Jane, "Does the compliant have anything to say?"

"Yes." Jane rose, the chains clinking softly, "I brought up Demonic Genesis for a reason. Half-demons are perhaps even more dangerous than demons, because they deceive us with their human appearances. Not only that, but they are frighteningly unstable."

"From what you have just said, I would say you had a personal experience with half-demons." Azazel arched a white brow, "Do you?"

Jane looked like she'd been shot between her eyes. She opened her mouth to say no, then sighed and hung her head, "I was fourteen at the time. My school had just reopened after summer holidays. After two months of solitude, I was ready to be with my best friends again. Most of my class, I'd known since I was in pre-school. They were like an extended family to me."

Her hands curled, "But that day, a new student appeared." She glared at the judge, "Some French boy. He seemed perfectly harmless...at first. Then, at lunchtime, he refused to eat any of the cafeteria lunch, and snapped. All of a sudden, the room was filled with living, moving shadows, and..." Jane wiped her eyes furiously, refusing to look anyone in the eye, "When I came to, the entire cafeteria was in pieces! The ovens had melted, the tables had been broken in two, and all the windows had been shattered! But worst of all, there was _blood everywhere!_ I thought I saw my best friend Becky in the back, but when I called out to her, I realized I'd been looking at her severed head! That maniac was grinning and holding it like it was some kind of trophy!" Jane was hysterical now, "I barely managed to escape with my life!"

"Hmm." Azazel nodded slowly, "So because of what happened that day, you decided to create a worldwide organization that captures innocent half-demons, most commonly on the streets, tries to isolate the demonic genes from their DNA, and murder them if they fail?"

"Yes." Jane confirmed, "Half-demons must be made safe or they must be eliminated!"

Yukiko almost jumped to her feet, but Mephisto and Amaimon barely held her down.

"I sympathize for your losses," Azazel said softly, "I remember now, I was there that day. That was a mentally-unstable son of Kage, the King of Shadows. He'd lost his mind when he saw his father's true form." He straightened, "Your motives are understandable, Jane. And yet, what you have done is beyond words. You will be charged for the deaths of 52,000 children since this operation began, the murders of Harper Pickett and Lauren Shaw, and the attempted murder of Hoshi Tanaka, Kuri Conwell, Heather Kincaid, and my own son, Frank Clarkson.

"From this day forward, you will reside in Gehenna, in the Fields of Punishment. Each day, until time itself comes to a halt, you will suffer death in each way you put your victims through." He slammed his wooden hammer against the desk, "Take her away."

"NO! But...NOOOO!" Jane screamed as the floorboards under her feet burst open. Dozen of ghostly hands (some children's, some adults') grabbed her and yanked her down. Jane struggled to break free and locked eyes with Yukiko. She screamed at her for help, but the cinnamon-blonde watched calmly as the woman disappeared into the torrent of blue flames.

There was a brief silence.

Then, Frank said, "That was for Harper and Lauren, bitch."


	23. Epilogue

**PLEASE review! Shura quotes the epic Jack Sparrow, and Mephisto concludes something that horrifies Hoshi. And to conclude, I hope you all enjoyed the story and will read the final installment to my 'Demonic Genesis' trilogy: Demonic Soul. The first chapter will be up tomorrow.  
**

* * *

Epilogue

That night was the dance celebrating the end of another year at the True Cross Academy, and the beginning of summer holidays. Even though the team had had nothing to do with the school, Mephisto had insisted that everyone participate. They'd all been worked to the bone; they deserved consideration, didn't they?  
So after much coaxing on the principal's part, the team found themselves in the main hall.

They all had a wonderful time, truth be told. Kuri danced with several young men, Amaimon included. But the Earth King was quick to claim Yukiko before any man could even_ think_ about asking her to dance. With red cheeks and a bright smile, Yukiko accepted the five times the green-haired boy asked to dance. Hoshi, dressed in flaming red, decided to seize the chance to bond with Theo. They pulled several pranks on the exorcist students, like putting plastic bugs in the rice pudding or placing a whoopy cushion on the chairs. Yukiko and Hoshi made up, which they celebrated with huge ice creams. Shura spent all her time drinking, and by Drink Number Four, she was starting to grinned sleazily and steady herself with a chair. Mephisto spent his time flirting with all the young women, much to students' exasperation. Before the third song, he was buying drinks for ladies.

Soon, the evening came to a close. The band, after signing T-shirts, notebooks, and one guy's forehead, left. All the food finished, and Salual and Kuri dragged a drunken Shura out of the room by her arms and legs. Hoshi, Theo, and (an extremely reluctant) Mephisto helped the staff clean up. Yukiko was helping, too, but Amaimon whispered in her ear, "Yuki...can...can I borrow you for a minute?"

"Um..." Yukiko fought to keep her face its normal color before turning to the Earth King, "Sure thing." Amaimon brightened and gently took her hand. He led her to the same spot he'd tried the evening before: the courtyard. There were no longer fireflies or shooting stars, but Amaimon was quick to do something. With a silent snap of his fingers, he made all the flowers bloom. Yukiko smiled at the sight, her eyes glimmering with joy.

"So, what's up?" She asked, turning to him, "In one week, you've asked to talk twice. Is something wrong?"

"Not in the least." Amaimon tried to ignore his stomach doing a somersault. He took both her hands, "I've actually been meaning to ask you something."  
"Shoot." Yukiko smiled, ready for anything.

"...Okay..." Amaimon knelt on one knee, his large eyes glued to her face. Yukiko's smile vanished as the Earth King spoke, "Yukiko...I've been thinking about it for a long time. And, I've decided...the thing I want to ask you is..." He reached in his pockets, and panic burst in his chest. He patted the fabric furiously, "Where is it?"  
A gurgle made them both turn around. Behemoth scuttled towards them, a small box made of evergreen in its mouth. Amaimon sighed in relief and held out his hand. The hobgoblin spat out the box, making Yukiko wince. Amaimon stroked his familiar, "Thank you, Behemoth." The creature burped in reply before wobbling away.

Amaimon turned back to Yukiko and held up the box, "Yukiko Bundō..." He undid the lid, "Will you marry me?"

Yukiko's hands flew to her mouth. Resting in the center of the box was a perfectly-crafted ring made of deep green jasper stones, held together by microscopic vines. She looked from the ring to Amaimon. She saw the face of the demon who'd changed her view on so many things: demons, men, and life. Just the idea of being with him forever made Yukiko's soul soar like an eagle. That's when she understood what she felt for the Earth King. It wasn't friendship or a crush.

It was love.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she whispered, "Yes."

Amaimon had looked alarmed at the cinnamon-blonde's tears, but when he heard her answer, his smile almost halved his face. With an excited stutter, the Earth King pulled the ring out and gently slipped it on Yukiko's slender, light brown finger. As he rose, Yukiko tackled him, crashing her lips over his. Amaimon's eyes fluttered shut, and his arms wrapped around her waist. Yukiko giggled against his cool lips as he lifted her off her feet. She felt on the brink of total happiness. They'd defeated Demonic Genesis. They'd saved the half-demons. She'd made up with Hoshi and was now engaged to the only boy she'd ever really loved.  
More tears of joy streamed down her cheeks, joining Amaimon's.

Mephisto and Hoshi watched with sly smiles. "Good for them." Hoshi smiled.

The purple-haired demon nodded, then brightened.

Hoshi glanced at him fearfully, "Where's your gay mind leading you this time?"

"I just realized something."

Hoshi arched a black brow, urging him to continue.

"Your sister and my brother are getting married." He grinned from ear to ear, "That means...WE'RE IN-LAWS!" He embraced a frozen Hoshi.

You could hear her screaming 'NO' from the other side of the country.


End file.
